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16.06.2011 Obituaries

In Loving Memory of Okatakyie Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa on the 32nd anniversary of his death.

16.06.2011 LISTEN
By Georgette Dede Djaba

Date: 16 June 2011
Execution
According to the wikipedia version, after the overthrow of the SMC by the AFRC led by Jerry Rawlings, Okatakyie Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa, then, Member of Parliament was arrested on his farm at Mampong. Together with other arrested senior military officers, they were tried to varied extents in camera.

They were allegedly found guilty of corruption, embezzlement, and using their positions to amass wealth. The investigations carried out were apparently incomplete. Evidence gathered by the National Reconciliation Commission in 2004 also suggests that the others executed were not properly tried. Previously, Afrifa had personally had his assets probed by the independent Sowah Assets Commission without any adverse findings. There also appears to have been a delay to the executions as no one including Rawlings appears to have been ready to sign the death warrants. Lieutenant General Joshua Hamidu, a former Chief of the Defence Staff at the time of the AFRC regime, stated that he and Rawlings were the only soldiers at the center of government who opposed the executions of the former heads of state. He is quoted as saying in response to an accusation of calling for Afrifa's execution that:

"That is ridiculous. It is a lie. I had nothing to do with the executions. For three weeks after the 4 June event, questions were constantly raised about executing people. I always stood against it. Surprisingly, the only person who also stood against it was Rawlings. The young boys wanted blood and I used to tell 'you cannot resurrect the man once you've killed him. If you have any case against people, try them. Let everybody hear what they have done wrong against the country.' And that even, they could not do."

On 26 June 1979, Afrifa was executed by firing squad, together with General Fred Akuffo, also a former Head of state and Major General Robert Kotei, Colonel Roger Felli, Air Vice Marshall George Yaw Boakye and Rear Admiral Joy Amedume. Reports suggest that Afrifa did not die immediately and had to be shot again. The bodies of the executed officers were buried without ceremony at the Nsawam Prisons Cemetery at Adoagyiri, near Nsawam in the Eastern Region.

Reburial
Following a petition by the widows of the executed generals, President John Agyekum Kufuor decided that their bodies be handed back to their respective families as part of a national reconciliation drive. On 27 December 2001, the bodies were returned to their respective families in Accra. Afrifa's remains were finally laid to rest at his hometown of Krobo on 28 January 2002.

For further information or to leave words and messages of remembrance, please to to the dedicated website: http://akwasi-amankwaa-afrifa.gonetoosoon.org/

In the light of the Mabey and Johnson case, which demonstrated the corruption of various NDC officials, my question is, were these executions justified, with hindsight.. This should never be allowed to happen again. Afrifa was the main breadwinner of his family. How do you think they survived this terrible ordeal. What has happened since then?

Rest in Peace, Grand-dad. Your legacy remains forever. We love you, we miss you. We will never forget you. You will always remain our hero.

Posted by Georgette Dede Djaba, LL.M Solicitor, London, UK

E-mail: [email protected]

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