JUDGE KILLERS NOT SORRY

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Posted on: www.dailyguidegahana.com
Most Reverend Dr. Justice Ofei Akrofi, Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa, Anglican/Episcopal says it appears that perpetrators of the brutal murder of three High Court judges and a retired military officer on June 30, 1982 have not learnt any lessons from that heinous crime.

Rev Ofei Akrofi said recently he saw in the dailies that the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) was condemning a group with inclinations to a particular political party for threatening the life of the Chief Justice adding “it is an unfortunate and worrying development because lessons that led to the celebration of martyrs’ day has been lost on them”.

Rev. Dr. Akrofi who is also Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Accra was delivering a sermon at the Ridge Church, Accra at the 29th Remembrance Day Service popularly called the “Martyrs’ Day” in memory of the murdered three judges.

The Anglican Bishop said “the Martyrs’ Day celebration is a statement of rejection of politics of violence” and appealed passionately to those issuing threats to the judiciary to desist from such acts saying “desist from it because the people of Ghana are still appalled at this style of politics”.

He said whoever orchestrated the deaths of the judges and the military officer had thought he or she was silencing them but their bloods still cry out in disapproval saying “instead of silencing them once and for all, posterity continues to remember them for what they stood for.”

He said the country is suffering from what he calls “power complex” in all sectors of society and that was not good for the country’s development.

Rev. Akrofi said the three judges and the military officer did not choose to die but rather were forced to die adding “we should never again go through this horrible and horrendous experience”.

Even though it was during the time of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) which later metamorphosed into National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the gruesome murders took place, they have never been part of the Martyrs’ Day celebration and last year was perhaps the first time a high profile NDC member attended.

Last year drama unfolded at the Christ the King Catholic Church on the Switchback Road in Accra, when at the 28th Remembrance Day Service when Ebo Barton-Oduro, Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice mounted the pulpit to read the second scripture on behalf of Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, his then boss who was absent at the programme.

When Chief Justice Georgina Wood finished reading the first scripture, it was the turn of the Deputy Attorney General to do the second reading. The Very Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, the parish priest officiating at the time was seen indicating to the deputy minister the portion he was supposed to read from the church’s Bible which was already on the lectern.

The Deputy Minister, whose scripture was 2nd Corinthians 12: 31 – 13:13, kept fumbling with words and continuously repeating what he had already read. Apparently frustrated by his own gaffe, the Minister at a point abandoned the Bible he was reading from, walked to his seat which was directly opposite the pulpit and brought his personal Bible to continue the reading to the amazement of the congregation.

Strangely, when he returned to read from his Bible which had a wine cover, he did not read Corinthians but read the Gospel According to John.

The bizarre spectacle brought about murmurings from the congregation which included judges, lawyers and family members of the deceased persons.

This year for instance, it was Mrs. Evelyn Keelson, a Principal State Attorney who read the second scripture on behalf of Martin Amidu who was absent at the programme. No high profile government officials attended the event.

Twenty-nine years ago, on June 30, 1982, three High Court judges, Justice Fred Poku Sarkodee, Justice Cecilia Afran Koranteng-Addow and Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong and a retired Army Officer, Major Sam Acquah were abducted at night during the curfew hours. Their bodies were on July 1, 1982 found in a state of decomposition at the Bundase Military Range in the Accra Plains.

Their bodies had been doused with petrol and set on fire but divine intervention, through raindrops that night; quenched the burning bodies before they were discovered.

The PNDC, publicly declaring itself to be horrified by the crime; and yielding to strong public pressure, appointed a Special Investigation Board (SIB) with a former Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Samuel Azu Crabbe, as Chairman, to investigate the murders.

The inquiry is noted for the courage and professional expertise of its main investigator, Mr. J.J Yidana, an officer of the Ghana Police Service. The SIB submitted its report and was published along with a Government White Paper.

The SIB made a number of findings leading to the prosecution of Joachim Amartey Kwei, a member of the PNDC, L/Cpls Samuel Amedeka, Samuel Michael Senyah, Johnny Dzandu, an ex-soldier and Tekpor also an ex-soldier.

For the past twenty-eight years, the Bar and Bench have mourned the death of those martyrs of the rule of law.