Families of June 4 uprising agree on Military burial

The families of the Army officers, who were executed in the wake of June 4 insurrection have expressed their wish for military burials for the deceased, a statement from the office of the President said.

The statement, signed by Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, government spokesperson, mentioned the deceased officers as Generals. A. A. Afrifa, I. K. Acheampong(in pic), F. W. K. Akuffo, Major-General R. E. A. Kotei and Real Admiral Joy Amedume.

The rest are Air Vice Marshal Yaw Boakye, Major-General Emmanuel Utuka and Col. Roger Felli.

The Executive Committee on the exhumation and burial, under the chairmanship of Air Marshall M.A. Otu , on Saturday had a meeting with the entire group of widows and families before holding separate meetings with each of them to discuss their wishes.

The widows and families of the executed officers expressed their gratitude to President J.A. Kufuor for acceding to their request to exhume and accord the affected officers, including three former heads of state, decent funerals.

The committee promised to start the exhumation of the bodies next week.

It also informed the widows and families that, even though records are available to identify the burial sites of the deceased, it deems it extremely important to establish their true identities.

To ensure this, therefore, the executive committee has decided to conduct forensic studies (DNA tests) , to determine the absolute identities of the remains of the senior officers.

Members of the executive committee are, Gen. E.A. Erskine, retired Commander of UNFIL, Cdr. G.E. Osei (rtd), representing VAG, Wing Cdr. Osei Kyeremeh of the General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces, Supt. B.A. Ashong of the Ghana Police, Deputy Director F.R.Y. Anka, representing Ghana Prisons and Col. Dr.Wadhwani, a pathologist at the 37 military hospital.