Soldiers tortured chief to death -Witness

Kumasi, Sept 12, GNA- The National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) was on Friday told how Nana Antwi Kumah, Dabehene of Manso-Nkwanta Traditional Area was tortured by soldiers in 1984 to extract confession of his involvement in the theft of some stool regalia of the Manso-Nkwanta paramount stool.

The chief, who maintained his innocence of the crime, was made to sit on a fire in a coal pot, forced to chew the carcass of a human body exhumed from the Manso-Nkwanta cemetery and had his hands immersed in fire.

He was also made to lie on a heated bonnet of a tipper truck, which peeled of the skin on his back.

The soldiers again pulled hard his penis and at this point he succumbed to death.

Nana Boni Ntiako, a farmer, was giving evidence at the on-going public hearing of the NRC in Kumasi.

He said the Dabehene was together with four others, Kwadwo Addai, Kwadwo Mosi, Yaw Boadu and Kwasi Nkruma, arrested by the police following a report made by the Omanhene of Manso-Nkwanta, Nana Bi-Kusi Appiah, about the theft of some stool regalia. He said soldiers took over the matter and severely brutalised the alleged suspects.

The soldiers drove them to Manso-Nkwanta in an Urvan bus and whilst the vehicle was in motion, they were made to jump out and roll on the ground.

They were also made to lie on their backs with their arms stretched and blocks placed on them as a brother of the Omanhene, one Kofi Pipim, allegedly stood by watching and "sipping his beer".

"He will hit their heads with every bottle of beer he emptied", witness said.

The petitioner said he was himself arrested and detained by the police for making inquiries about the late Dabehene when he heard of his arrest.

Nana Ntiako said an autopsy performed on Nana Kumah by a pathologist showed that he died of torture.

He told the Commission that the real culprits were later identified, prosecuted and jailed.

Their leader, he said was one "Ackah Junior".

The petitioner said a cocoa farm belonging to the Dabehene that was seized by the Omanhene after he had caused the arrest of Dabehene had up to date not been released to the family.

He said petitions he sent to the former Minister of Interior, Mr Kofi Gyin and the then Inspector-General of Police (IGP) were never acted upon.

Mr Gyedabi Asamoah, a former trader at Kejetia in Kumasi, also wept bitterly mid-way in his narration to the NRC of his severe beating by soldiers led by one Yankey in 1982. The beating, he said had made him go blind.

"They used the butt of their guns to hit me several times on the head and I started bleeding profusely from the nose and mouth", he said. He said a week later, he could not see with the right eye and therefore sought medical attention at the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital where he was told by an eye specialist that he had lost the right eye from the beating.

He said he was trading in barrels when one day a certain man came and asked him how much a barrel cost.

"I told him it sold at 6,000 cedis per one and he went away with the explanation that he was going to inform his master only to return with soldiers."

He said he wants the Commission to assist him to cater for his three children who were left with him by the wife after he had gone blind and separated.

Another witness, Jefferson Eric Kwabena Darkwah, a former Immigration Officer, sacked for alleged 1,000 CFA bribe taking in 1982, wants to be reinstated.

He denied taking any bribe and recounted to the Commission how he was brutally assaulted by soldiers.

He said he lost two teeth during the assault by the soldiers, adding, they also took away his television set, standing fan, cassette radio and fridge from his room.