INTROSPECTING THE PAST - IN SOLIDARITY OF THE MARTYRS

Introspecting the past, I decided to write this article in solidarity of the “Martyrs of the 30th June 1982”, Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, Justice Sarkordie, Justice Agyepong and the Army Major (rtd) Acquah. My only concern to this event is the Ghana Bar Association neglect of Major (rtd) Acquah as an “Honorary Member of the Martyrs”. I would have wished and very much appreciate if the honor is accorded accordingly, because he suffered pursuing the “just decisions”.

Kindly give the go-ahead to, for this introductory series on the mentioned topic that will eventually highlight the events that led to the savage killing of the judges and the retired Army Major on the night of Wednesday 30th June 1982. Beyond the Truth Lies the Real Truth.

Notwithstanding the 'no bulge' attitude of the perpetrators, the truth remains that the power bloc in governance at the time were architects of the brute exercise, while the executioners were 'trigger-happy' youth that had no experience in real life. I am not here to defend the latter.

At times, I am lost with reason for people whose common-sense and mental disposition far outstrips the callous people they complain to for the administration of justice. In reality, these gangsters are a group of persons that could be term “Callous Gangsters”. No one should be deluded to reason that these gangsters have any sense of purpose. Their way of reason are crude by all standard, therefore any quest for administration of just decisions must not be address to them.

My reason for writing now has come about owing to persistent denial from those who master-minded the exercise. It was under false pretense that, an invasion force under the auspices of the United States and other foreign interest that wanted Ghana to chart democratic path as against socialist path that the act was committed. The past nearly three decades have seen these persons grown in false confidence and have the audaciousness to state, if they had known earlier about people rising up to question them on these unjust killings and arbitrary detention of opponents, they will have surely spilled more blood. What an irony. Those who were in the helm of affairs are the real culprits when Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, Justice Sarkordie, Justice Agyepong and the Army Major (rtd) Acquah were killed cowardly. Why do I say it was cowardly act?

Any act, suggestion, saying or thing done under the cover of darkness must be treated as such. People must understand that it is energy and time wasting to seek redress from a person who has willfully wronged you. It takes men of courage in accepting a wrongful act.

In a country like ours where wrong acts have become accepted norm and virtuousness whiles the truth as immoral habit, common-sense must prevail. The country is bereft of such qualities at high places including some of our learned persons of law. Who by their profession have custodial obligation to the people of the land, to live in absolute peace with each other and ensuring the rights of persons are safeguarded. But what do we see.

A good number of our respected learned people have thrown overboard the very virtues of their profession they swore to defend to the hilt and have joined camp of the self-seekers to the detriment of the masses.

Dear reader, I am a living witness to some of the events that led to the uncovering of this gruesome, savage and barbaric killing of the persons in question that started during the morning of 30th June 1982. At the time of the incident I had served with the colors for sixteen (16) years. I was among a group of soldiers from my unit stationed at a former Head of State residence in the Burma Camp.

At the appropriate time and a properly constituted platform if such platform avail itself, I will unfold step by step stages that would throw light or allude to those who were in authority when the four persons were abducted and executed.

We have to realize that such wanton destruction of human lives is a crime against humanity. I have long wish fanatics like Tony Aidoo, R.B. Hesse, the adepts of probity and accountability or their surrogates to write those sensual articles of theirs on the Abduction and Murder of the four persons. I am yearning to see those strokes from their pens doing justice to people who were deny the joy and love of mother's care and the warmth of fathers' presence in the home.

Once again people must not be deluded to think that it was a 'Revolutionary Whirl-wind that caused the death of the three judges and the army officer. Far from that! The import of the killing by estimation was to create an intimidating atmosphere. Cynically, these persons are trying to carve a scenario of statesmanship in the eyes of world politics.

We must understand that the advent of a murderer is a violent transition of absurd causes when others help to cover the act. It is the great books of mankind that brings to the fore the effects of shedding innocent blood. These Great Books lament that, until a murderer is denied life as a reparation for the innocent, peace shall never be known in the land.

People must realize that dictators since the dawn of man have people that sing to their praises, thus creating a false sense of greatness. No One in his right frame of mind will dare question God's Mightiness. Furthermore, No One will also attribute or arrogate to self the “Virtuous Attributes of God. Anyone who does so, have a doomsday rest in their shame. For what they believe in are all but illusion. When the day of reckoning surfaces God will prevail and they will ran for dear life.

I want to assure Mr. Kwabena Agyepong and others, who suffered such fatal injustice, that there are people who share in their lament and agonies. And that, steadfastness, courageousness and diligence are qualities of a good fighter. Truth shall continue to prevail over liars and lies, no matter how long it takes to reach it.

How can you expect a person that perverts justice to talk or discuss about the very act he committed? It is not possible. Whosoever gives a hand shake to a murderer, a liar, or propagandist is unequivocally the same breed. These predators' prides in his scheming demeanor, forgetting that folly is in his heart. Nowhere had dictators accepted walkouts as a measure for protest to a bad decision.

Anytime the topic on the abduction and murder is visited, I am driven round the bend about the manner we have kept quiet over it. Allowing this group of callous gangsters to continue spitting on our intelligence.

I remember the ugly scene on that Saturday morning of 3 July 1982, when the decomposing bodies of these gallant sons and daughter of our dear country, were found at the foot of Small Bundase Hill, at the open Range of Bundase Field Firing Range. A group of Officers from and on course at Military Academy and Training School, led by a Lieutenant Colonel, Directing Staff, my Commanding Officer, and other Officers from the Medium Mortar Regiment (66 Artillery Regiment), Recce Regiment and other elements from the Support Service Group openly voiced their discontentment on the wicked act.

The whole scenario depicted an act of barbarism and savagism that cannot pass without proper recourse to justice. The gallant sons and daughter suffered fate because of their profession on a flimsy pretext of probity and accountability. It stands to reason that the same measure must apply if the propagandist is also caught up in the slurry waters. Though the Chairman of the
PNDC must be held responsible, so also, there are others unknown to the public whose roles were very subjective and positive. I will dare say that their roles was very pivotal in commissioning the act, as they passed on one instruction after the other, about the purported invasion that was never talked about after the four bodies were found.

In the Military Law as in the Civil Law, Aiding and Abetment of an offence carries the same import, as Commission and Omission carries the same legal implication. The 'No Bulge' standing of the perpetrators will surely breakdown when the time is ripe.

Allow me to borrow from the late General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, whose popularized dictum prove his lack of skill and downfall, with an Akan maxim “to wo bo ase yfo, fidie wura b ba, de b bo wo mma a, wo se obiara nntumi wo”. Literally, it means that “If the day of reckoning have not dawn, one claims invincibility as his or hers.

Why should the framers of the Fourth Republican constitution insert an indemnity clause in the Constitution? Were they also taken in by threats of the Provisional National Defence Council? Or did so to placate the Government for nominating them to serve on the Constituent Assembly? If the former is true, then, they do not qualify to be Elders for the people and if the latter is true then, they should be ashamed of their professed knowledge and bow their heads in shame.

I believe that if any of them had relation(s) murdered through the irony of a Revolution, they will surely have compelled the indemnity protagonists to swallow their words.

Apart from Joachim Amartei Kwei who became the sacrificial lamb of his own silliness and his over-reliance, all others who in diverse ways help to commission the murderous act are still with us and must be brought to reason and face the Law or be made to make restitution in the form of publicly accepting commissions and omissions for their roles.

In my candid opinion I do not think the National Reconciliation and Truth Commission was able to hold back the pain for those whose very existence to continue suffer from the loss through such wicked act of barbarism and savagism.

It is said that the sweetness of the pudding is in its eating. Likewise, I believe that the pain and the harshness of pains is experienced by they who suffer the pain.

Beyond the Truth Lies the Real Truth.

Nana Akwa
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