Charges Against Western Togoland Secessionists Dropped

By Malik Sullemana

The nine members of Homeland Study Group, including a soldier, accused of attempting to declare Volta Region, an independent state were yesterday, discharged by an Accra high court.

This followed a decision by the prosecution to discontinue the case.

Appearing before a three-member panel of judges presided by Justice Noble Jerome Nkrumah, Winnefred Sarpong, a senior state attorney told the court that she was instructed to withdraw the case.

Mr Charles K. Kudzordzi, the leader of the group, was on May 8, granted GH¢250,000 bail with two sureties.

Eight of his accomplices were later granted GH¢800,000 bail by the court.

The accused, Bese Amedeus Akorli, Blay Kaku Freeman, Nkpe Tornyie Kudjo and Thompson Tsigbe, were asked to report to the police twice every Monday and Thursday until otherwise directed.

The rest are Agbenyegah Akudzi, Dzereke Kofi, Benjamin Agbodzagah and Staff Sergeant Kgogli Samuel Kwabla.

The facts according to the prosecution are that, the accused were arrested at a meeting on May 5, 2019.

Mr Fred Awindago, then prosecuting, said the accused planned to declare Volta, Oti and North East regions as independent state on May 19, 2019.

Prosecution said Sgt Kwabla gave advance warning to the group to hide their weapons as a joint police-military investigation was underway.

The court heard that the group was formed in 1994 with the objective to instigate the people of the Eastern Corridor of Ghana to secede from Ghana to form a country called Western Togoland.

He said the activities of the group got to the attention of the police and Mr K. Kudzordzi was arrested and arraigned before the Ho High Court in the Volta Region.

Prosecution said the accused was bonded to be of good behaviour for six months, however, the group continued to engage in such activities until the members were arrested on May 5, 2019.

Mr Awindago said that during interrogation accused maintained that the said part of Ghana does not form part of the Republic of Ghana.

He said items with inscription '9th May is our day', and 'A Citizen of Western Togoland' as well as translations of a message sent by the soldier were retrieved.

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