The assassination of six "innocent generals" of the army by Rawlings in 1979 was biased – Kufuor

General News on Tuesday, June 4th, 2019

Source: Mynewsgh.com

2019-06-04

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor observed that six army generals, including former heads of state executed under the military regime of former president Jerry John Rawlings , had been murdered unjustly.

During a visit to six-person families commemorating their fortieth anniversary of his death, he said he had never been tried, convicted and executed in accordance with the country's laws.

"These people have become victims in their efforts to serve the country. As far as I know, they have not been tried by a court or found guilty of the punishment prescribed by law, "he said.

The bodies of those executed were exhumed under Mr. Kufuor's administration and handed over to their respective families for a decent burial several decades after being shot in the Teshie military range.

Speaking about the development, the former president said: "I came to power, I received a petition and, anyway, I even had set up a reconciliation commission to try to heal the wounds and injuries within our community so that they are a peace for governance. After all, I had only four years to govern … the first term, so I wanted total peace before I could focus on development policies and transform the country as quickly as possible. So when I sensed the evil, I said that there had to be a reconciliation and that a petition would come to the widow's castle. "

Six generals of Ghana's armed forces, including two chiefs of state, were executed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces Council (AFRC) under former president Jerry John Rawlings.

Flt. Lieutenant Rawlings sentenced them to death for claiming to have purified the country of corruption.

The two chiefs of state, Lieutenant General Okatakyie Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa (1968-1969) and General Fred William Kwasi Akuffo (1978-1979) were killed in public by an execution squad at the field. Teshie shot in Accra.

Also executed were the former Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Joy Amedume, the former Air Force Commander, Vice-Marshal of the Air George Yaw Boakye, Deputy Head of State and former Chief of the Defense Staff, Major General Robert Ebenezer Abosey Kotei, all members of the former Supreme Military Council .

The other was the former Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Colonel Roger Felli.