Wuaku Commission: "I fired shots with AK47 rifle"

A self-confessed warrior of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, Ibrahim Adam, told the Wuaku Commission yesterday that he fired several shots with his AK 47 assault rifle in the heat of the Yendi disturbances.

He could, however, not tell whether he killed anybody or not.

Besides, he said, he was actively involved in the burning of houses during the hostilities.

Adam, who was continuing his evidence as the 82nd witness of the commission, said the first house he and his group burnt down was near the Gbewaa Palace and gave the name of the owner only as Mallam, a member of the Abudu Gate. Adam said the gunshots he fired were aimed at the Abudus and added, “I performed very well at the war-front.”

In answer to a question by Mr Yaw Wiredu-Peprah, counsel to the commission, whether he was supplied with local bullet-proof attire or not, witness replied in the negative and said he wore his own bullet-proof attire. Asked by Mrs Florence Brew, a member of the commission, why the Ya-Na’s warriors ran away when one of their members, Diba, was gunned down by the Abudus, Adam said they knew him to be a powerful warrior so his demise was a signal that they were not safe.

To another question by a commission member why Sonunu Baakomi and others whom he claimed were also warriors of the Ya-Na, turned against him and handed him over to the military, Adam said they suspected that he took away the AK 47 assault rifle given to him to protect the Ya-Na.

Adam, said he is a full-blooded Abudu but was recruited by Bashiru Jima, “because I was his grandson.”

He said he could not remember the registration number of the cars that brought the warriors from other places to the Ya-Na’s palace at Yendi.

Adam told a member of the commission, Prof Kwesi Yankah in an answer to a question that the Abudus returned fire using shotguns and single-barrelled guns. Witness said the assembly member for Balogu North, S. S. Amin was the secretary who recorded names of the trained warriors while the 1990 National Best Farmer, Maama Mole who was the chairman of the group, supplied the ammunition.

Adam was discharged by the commission but was told that he might be recalled. When Baakoni was called into the witness box, he denied that he was a warrior of the Ya-Na and fought alongside Adam and others during the hostilities. He said Adam who made the allegation is a known Abudu at Yendi and so it was not possible for him to go near the Gbewaa Palace.

He stated that they caused the arrest of Adam because of the photograph of the Ya-Na’s first wife, which was found in his bag.

Asked by Mr Hayibor why they sent Adam to Maama Mole when he was arrested, witness said Mole is an opinion leader of the Andanis.

He said when they were sending him to Mole, they met a soldier who after listening to their story, sent Adam to the military barracks.

Baakomi denied a suggestion by Nana Obiri Boahen, leading counsel for the Abudus that he (witness) was the one who prevailed upon Adam to join the group of warriors trained by Jima. “The Ya-Na never recruited any warriors,” he said. Baakomi also denied that he was given ?1 million as an incentive for the military training he had under the tutelage of Jima.

He said on March 25, 25 and 27, he was in his house at Balofu, a suburb of Yendi and did not go anywhere near the Gbewaa Palace.

When Nana Boahen suggested to him that he was not being truthful to the commission, Baakomi said, “I have sworn by the Koran and I cannot tell lies.” Witness told Nana Boahen that it was not true that when he saw Adam in July, this year, he queried him about the whereabouts of the rifle they gave to him during the war.

He also denied that it was when Adam could not give any tangible answers to the whereabouts of the rifle that they brought the picture of the Ya-Na’s wife in order to put him into trouble.

To a suggestion by Nana Boahen that they took Adam to Mole because he is one of the senior members of the Andani family who has been instigating the Andanis against the Abudus, witness said it is incorrect.

Asked by the chairman of the commission, Mr Justice I. N. K. Wuaku why they did not report Adam to the police for him to be arrested, witness said he would have ran away if they had left for the police station. Baakomi denied that they took Adam to Mole because he was the leader of the group of warriors.

In an answer to a question by Prof Yankah whether a picture was something precious for somebody to loot or not, Baakomi said it could happen.

Shinashi Bashiru, a member of the Andani family, who was also mentioned by Adam as one of the trained warriors of the Ya-Na, also denied the allegation. He told Nana Boahen that he did not know Jima who allegedly gave him and others military training to fight on the side the Ya-Na.

Witness said he did not personally see the photograph said to be in the possession of Adam.

According to Shinashi, it was only on special occasions like festivals that he went to the Gbewaa Palace but said on the day that the Bugum festival was to be celebrated, he did not go there.

Asked by Mr Justice Wuaku if he knew Mohammed Achana Abdul-Salam alias Red, witness said he got to know him during the Konkomba-Dagomba war when he saw him at the Gbewaa Palace but denied that the two of them took part in the war. To a question by Prof Yankah whether suspects arrested in the area are sent to Mole, Shinashi said Adam was the first suspect to be sent to him.

Witness also said that the 1990 National Best Farmer never told him that he had been assigned the responsibility to receive suspects before they are taken to the security agencies.

When it got to his turn to be cross-examined, Seidu Salma Amin alias S.S. Amin, the assembly member for Balogu also denied that he was the secretary of the group of warriors trained by Jima.

He told the commission that he did not know Adam who made the allegation and that the first time he got to know him was last Tuesday when he (Adam) made the allegation at the commission is sitting.

Amin, who was making his third appearance at the commission, denied fighting for the Andanis during the Yendi disturbances.

At a point, Mr Justice Wuaku told him that he was making too many contradictory statements.

Mr Wiredu-Peprah questioned witness about information he gave to a police investigator after Tuesday’s sitting of the commission that the items a certain lady was accused to have stolen from the Gbewaa Palace as well as the items Adam was alleged to be in possession were with him. Amin said what he told the investigator was that some items belonging to Adam were in a particular house at Yendi.

Asked by the commission’s counsel what prompted him to discuss the issue with the police investigator, Amin said he thought the investigator would want to present the items as exhibits.

When he mounted the witness box, Mole, also denied the allegation that he engaged the services of Jima to recruit warriors for the Ya-Na adding that he does not know Jima.

He said on March 26, he went to the Gbewaa Palace to slaughter a bull and witness the recital of the Koran in line with Dagbon tradition and not to fight for the Ya-Na. Mole said on March 27, he was in his house when he heard gunshots but he did not go out.

Witness, who claimed to be one of the three-member group of peace makers at Yendi, said when Adam was brought to him, he did not call any Abudu to assist resolve the matter because tension was high at the time.

Asked by Mr Wiredu-Peprah whether it is a customary offence for Dagbon citizens to be in possession of pictures of the Ya-Na, Mole replied in the negative and said he did not tell those who brought Adam to him because tension was high.

Three members of the Abudu Family accused to have shot at Imrana Sayibu, a student at Tamale on March 27, also testified and denied the allegation. This was after Sayibu had identified them.

They are Sulemana Baba alias Baba Kulga, a building contractor who was alleged to have missed his target, Abdulai Karim alias Cheke, a farmer at Yendi and Zohe Banlana whose shots hit Sayibu.

After some questioning, the commission asked them to re-appear on Friday for further questioning. Sitting continues today.