Ex-AFRC Member Beaten... For Breaking Custom

A former member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Lt Corporal Peter Tasiri, who responded to an invitation of the Chief of Pusiga near Bawku following a complaint lodged against him by his brother had the shock of his life when moments after he arrived at the palace, he was grabbed by six strong men and beaten mercilessly.

The young men told him he broke custom by not removing his sandals as required of all citizens who visit the palace but the chief of the town was allegedly quoted as saying that the attack was in revenge for atrocities he committed against his father during the AFRC days.

He was also quoted to have said it was an opportunity to revenge for the atrocities he committed against his people.

A distress call to the Bawku-Naba, Paramount Chief of the Bawku Traditional Area and the Bawku police saved him from his attackers who tied his hands and feet with a nylon robe and assaulted him till he lost consciousness.

Narrating his ordeal to the Spectator, Peter Tasiri said he was summoned to the chief's palace following a complaint lodged against him by his elder brother.

According to him he resides in his house at Mandago, a suburb of Pusiga, which shares a wall with that of his brother, Mr. Musah Tasiri.

He said, like many families they have been having differences for sometime now and this resulted in his brother reporting him to the chief to resolve their differences.

“I was, therefore, surprised that immediately I arrived at the palace a group of young men suddenly pounced on me and accused me of being stubborn and that they were going to teach me a lesson.

He said when he attempted to ask the chief, Naba Akut Akwaka, what was going on or what the problem was, he, the chief allegedly said he had always sought an opportunity to revenge the atrocities he Peter meted out to his late father during the days of the AFRC and the action of the people was the beginning of that.

The chief of Pusiga Naba Akut Akwaka reacting to the allegations on the phone confirmed that Peter Tasiri was attacked at his palace but denied any complicity.

According to him he received a complaint from Peter's senior brother, Mr. Musah Tasiri that he Peter had demolished his pigsty despite his protestations and wanted him to rebuild it.

He alleged that on arrival at the palace on October 25, Peter who wore a military trousers and boots started insulting him saying among other things that when you young men become chiefs you do not respect elders any more.