Audio Attachment:Mr Albert Sam, speaking in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Kokrokoo |
"I had never witnessed anything like that in my life…it was one of the darkest periods in my life," recounts Mr Albert Sam, a Public Relations Practitioner and member of the governing board of the Ghana News Agency, on the horrific public execution of some top military officers and heads of state some 39 years ago.
Tuesday, 26th June 1979, is described by most Ghanaians as the darkest day in Ghana’s history after six senior military officers namely; F.W.K. Akuffo, former Head of State, Gen Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa a former military ruler, Gen Robert Kotei, Col Roger Felli, Air Vice-Marshal Yaw Boakye and Rear Admiral Joy Amedume were blindfolded, tied to the stakes and executed without proper judicial process for allegedly engaging in corruption and embezzlement of public funds.
The generals were tried on charges of corruption, abuse of power and treason by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), led by Flight Lt J.J. Rawlings.
"Execution Day...sudden hush fell on spectators"
A disturbing account of the harrowing scene available online reads: "There were six stakes, each with a rope dangling about it. Sandbags were piled behind each stake up to the shoulder level. Some twenty-five or so feet in front of the stakes were open ended tents for the firing squad.
The door of an ambulance was flung open and out stepped F.W.K. Akuffo, the immediate past Head of State. He was followed by Gen Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa a former military ruler, Gen Robert Kotei, Col Roger Felli, Air Vice-Marshal Yaw Boakye and Rear Admiral Joy Amedume. All of them were blindfolded and led by the soldiers towards the stake.
A sudden hush fell on the teeming spectators.
The six condemned senior military officers were led to the stakes and the ropes tied across their chest and around their legs. First was Gen Akuffo, then Gen Bob Kotei, Gen Afrifa, Air Vice-Marshal Yaw Boakye, Col Roger Felli and last, towards the sea, Rear-Admiral Joy Amedume.
Hardly anyone saw the firing squad enter the tents, all attention was on the condemned officers. And there was no audible order to fire. Just a sudden: “ko. ko….ko.ko.ko”. From my vantage point just besides the tents, I could see the blood soaking through their dresses where the bullets hit."
"Regrettable, But..."
In 2008, Former President Rawlings told the media that though the killings were regrettable, there was no way his AFRC junta could have avoided them.
“...very painful and regrettable, but there was no other way out," he told members of a Forum organized by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to him, if the executions had not been carried out, the rank and file of the Ghanaian Army would have slaughtered the officer corps.
"Witness Traumatised"
Sharing the traumatic experience in an exclusive interview with Kwami Sefa-Kayi in an interview on Peace FM morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ Tuesday, Mr Sam, who was then a Daily Graphic reporter and present at the scene of the execution, described the sight as pitiful, very awful, and ignominious.
“Personally, I was traumatised. It was a pathetic scene I saw…I was grief-stricken…,” he painfully recalled.
According to him, “that day will remain indelibly imprinted in my mind until the Lord our savior calls me to eternity”.
Coincidentally, June 26th is the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. A day set aside by the UN to speak out against the crime of torture and to honor and support victims and survivors throughout the world.
May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.
Click on the audio ABOVE to listen to Mr Albert Sam's narration of the shocking event as it unfolded.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
JJ didn't just go out there killing any body but thiieevvves and nation looters period. Some of these talkative writing on this page were not born then or were toddlers. they must ***barred word***.
For me it is about time the families of these murdered soldiers come together and perform or celebrate their murder each year because if this ayigbe /ewe guy called JJ Rawlings have the nerve to full Ghanaians that these soldiers had to die because there was no alternative ; today we can all see the worse of his actions with the criminal Boakye Jan who ordered the killing of Afrifa and Akuffo ; to me all the blamre should not be assigned this corrupt liar Jj Rawlings but unto this liar Boakye Djan who hid behind JJ Rawlings to murder these officers besides what most Ghanaians do not know is that the officer who shot Afrifa Capt Mahama son was brutally killed recently and those officers who killed these officers are either dead or a suffering badly and so will jJ Rawlings and Boakye Djanm ; their children will pay an terrible price sooner later !!!; to me the children and grand children of these dead officers should rise up and organise themselves against JUJ Rawlings and these AFRC criminals ; who through their misguided action have today left Ghana isn the worst state; for me there should no more 'FAMA NYAME" business ; Kwame SEfa Kaye is right to advocate a rise against JJ Rawlings because thisevil man done WRONG to some families in GHana !!!!!
People, go and listen to Adabugah's interview on ***barred word*** about Rawlings, his divide and rule and his tactics of setting one tribe against the other
THIS DAY MUST BE CELEBRATED AS A DARK DAY IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY. IT COULD BE A DAY WHERE WE ALL STAY AT HOME AND REFLECT ABOUT THIS DASTARDLY ACT OF RAWLINGS AND HIS BOAKYE GYAN. THEY ARE NOW RICH, EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN ABROAD. HMMMMMMM THE AVENGER IS THE LORD. I REST MY CASE
NEVER AGAIN IN OUR HISTORY SHOULD WE ENTERTAIN SUCH A WICKEDD AND INHUMANN TREATMENT ON OUR OWN CITIZENS. I AM SO SO SO SAD TODAY. NEEDLESSS AND SENSELESSS ACT WHICH NEVER BENEFITTED THE COUNTRY BUT THE PERPETRATORS THEMSELVES.
Those students who were calling for ,let the blood flow some of them are millioners.It was a black day in our country history.Does it even worth celebrating or commomerating?may God have mercy on us
has anytin changed after the execution?JJ will suffer before he dies
and the corruption continued even in its worst form after the executions. 39 years of shame and disgrace. May the souls of our departed rest in peace.
Lord, we thank you for bringing Ghana this far. We pray that never will this tragedy befell Ghana again. The so called cleaners became looters at the end. Our society has become so corrupt than when these Generals were ruling the country. What became of JJ Rawlings after killing these Generals? He sold all the Nkrumah established factories to his wife and cronies. he was bribed by Gen.Sani Abacha to the tune of $5 million which he has denied until recently he accepted that was $2 million. He became corrupted more than those he accused and killed. Lord forgive us a nation and also forgive JJ Rawlings.
39 years is too long. We should have had another young JJ to clean the system. Both NDC and NPP are responsible for our woes