Gbevlo Lartey, E.T. Mensah Wanted -Daily Guide

With 79 days left for the National Reconciliation Commission.(NRC), to wind up its activities, the commission, has declared 69 persons, mainly operatives of the AFRC/PNDC eras, wanted in connection with serious human rights allegations made against them.

The 69 are said to have either directly supervised, caused the arrest, detention and subsequent torture of their victims, some of whom suffered deaths.

Consequently the NRC has invited Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, former Minister of Youth and Sports and one-time Mayor of Accra, Lt Col Gbevlo Lartey(rtd) former Commander of the Forces Reserve Battalion (64 Regiment) or Commandos Unit of the Ghana Army, Col Pattington, Captain Edmund Koda, Capt Okai Koi, Captain Michel, Flying Officer Odoi and Squadron Leader Darko Kumi.

The others are W.O Salifu Amankwa, Kofi Djin, ASP Mc Carthy, W.O. II Kwame Agboyizah, Acheampong, Pharmancy Board, Asmah & Ghansah, Ebenezer Quartey, Lance Cpl Victor Gomeleshio, Airman, commonly called ?killer?.

The rest of the persons on the wanted list of the NRC are Ex-Cpl Peter Tasiri, ex-Cpl Osei, ex-L/Cpl Gomeleshio, ex-Sgt Agoha and Ofori Electronic Limited. These persons (companies) and 46 others, have been notified that they have been mentioned in proceedings before the NRC as having committed human rights violations.

A notice released by the NRC last Thursday from the office of the Executive Secretary of the commission at Old Parliament House, High Street, Accra, stated that ? if they ( those mentioned) are desirous of appearing before the commission and answer the allegations made against them, then they may contact the Executive Secretary of the commission not later than 31st May 2004, for arrangements to be made for their appearance.

The petitions so far heard at the commission concern human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by agents of the state and public officials virtually in all regimes, most especially during the periods of unconstitutional rule.

Under Section 3 (1) of Act 611 which spells out the object of the commission, the NRC seeks to promote national reconciliation among the people of Ghana (a) by establishing accurate, complete and historical record of violations and abuses of human rights inflicted on persons by public institutions and holders of public office or persons purporting to have acted on behalf of the state during periods of unconstitutional governments namely from

(i) 24th February 1966 to 21st August 1969;

(ii) 13th January, 1972 to 23rd September 1997, and

(iii) 31st December, 1981 to 6th January, 1993 and

(b) by making recommendations to the President of the Republic of Ghana for redress of wrongs committed within the specified periods So far, the NRC has heard over 2000 cases out of the about 4,211 petitions filed.

Some of the cases which the commission has heard since January 13, 2003 border on killings, abductions, disappearances, torture, detention, seizure of property and ill-treatment spanning the period March 6, 1957 and June 6, 1993.