A High Court in Accra, presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh, has convicted six Western Togoland secessionists who were arrested by the police in September 2020 after they blocked the Aveyime road from Accra with sand, and attacked the Aveyime and Mepe Police Stations in the Volta Region.
The six were found guilty of offences contrary to the Prohibited Organisations Act 1976 (Supreme Military Council Decree/SMCD20).
On June 20, 2023, Justice Yanzuh convicted the accused persons on all 19 charges. In court, they also admitted playing active roles in its organization and activities.
The convicts were sentenced to four years each on all offences under SMCD 20.
In addition, the second convict, Kwame Tornyevidzi@Abizibey, was sentenced to six years for the charge of stealing while the 3rd convict, Raymond Yao Blu@ Captain, was sentenced to two years for unlawful training. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Justice Yanzuh told the court that the convicts were arraigned before the High Court (Criminal Division 3) on November 21, 2021 on charges of attending meetings of a prohibited organization, participating in the campaign of a prohibited organization.
In addition, the second convict was charged with stealing an AK47 rifle when he and other members of the Western Togoland Restoration Front attacked the Aveyime and Mepe Police Stations on September 25, 2020. Additionally, Raymond Yao Blu@Captain was charged with unlawful training.
HSG
The Homeland Study Group (HSG) is an organisation formed with the primary aim of seceding from the Volta and Oti regions, and from the territories of Ghana.
The Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF), on the other hand, is an offshoot of HSG, established by Michael Koku Kwabla, also known as Togbe Yesu.
The WTRF’s main aim was to use force to make it possible for the Volta and Oti regions to secede from Ghana, and form a new state, to be called “Western Togoland”. The organisation was established by Kwabla.
Together with his right-hand man, Charles Elo, he recruited individuals who attended WTRF meetings, became members, participated in the group’s campaign and made contributions to the WTRF cause.
The WTRF hatched a plan to campaign and protest for the secession of the Volta and Oti Regions. They planned to campaign and protest by blocking roads leading from Accra to the Volta Region.
Action on Aveyime
At dawn of September 25, 2020, the WTRF cadres set their plans in motion. They divided themselves into groups. One group blocked the Aveyime road from Accra with trips of sand and burning tyres.
The other WTRF groups proceeded to attack the police stations in Aveyime and Mepe, property of the Ghana Police Service. They were wielding guns and other weapons and used these to overpower the police officers on duty.
Rebellion
The WTRF rebels freed inmates from the cells, broke into the armoury at the stations and stole arms and ammunition, including: 13 AK-47 assault rifles, two pistols, five pump-action guns, one shotgun, two MAC-3 guns, one MAC-4 gun, three SMG rifles, 11 rubber bullets, 25 rounds of 37mm tear gas cartridges, and roughly 300 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.
They also stole a police patrol vehicle with registration number GP 195, proceeded to attack the barracks and made away with money and other items belonging to the police officer residents and their families.
Police investigations eventually led to the arrest of the accused persons.
