Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has dispelled reports that the government has abandoned the case against members of Homeland Study Group Foundation who were allegedly working towards the secession of the Volta Region from Ghana.
There have been arguments that government’s failure to prosecute and jail these individuals last year gave rise to new secessionist groups who have terrorised parts of the Volta Region to continue where their forbears left off.
But addressing the subject on GhanaWeb’s Election Desk show, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah reiterated that the secessionists have not been left off the hook. He noted that the seven who were initially granted bail were to report weekly.
“Eleven of the accused persons, four are at large, seven were granted bail by the circuit court in Ho on the 6th of May, 2020 and to report weekly. A bench warrant has also been issued for the arrest of the four fugitives.
“On the 7th of October, 2020 the court has been adjourned to that date so that the case continues after case management.”
“So that case has not been abandoned,” he disclosed.
The spokesperson of the Akufo-Addo government postulated that, inasmuch as Ghanaians would want a swift resolution to the case against the secessionist groups, the wheels of justice grinds slowly because everybody must have their day in court according to the democratic principles.
He also outlined the court dates of the various persons charged by the state due to the participation in declaring Western Togoland as an independent state on May 9, 20I9.
He charged that the media get to the forefront of education as far as the issue of pursuing the case is concerned.
“The wheels of justice, admittedly grinds slowly, but they grind; because everybody must have their day in court no matter how insane you think the exercise on which they embark on maybe.
"They must have their day in court, we are in a democracy, that’s the country in which we are currently,” he furthered.
He also gave updates on the case against some persons who were arrested at Yendi in the Northern Region on December 27, 2019, noting that they are also in court.
In July 2019, the Attorney General withdrew all charges levelled against some nine members of Homeland Study Group Foundation who were allegedly working for the secession of the Volta Region from Ghana.
After appearing before the court presided over by three judges, Winnifred Sarpong, a senior State Attorney told the court that they had been instructed to withdraw the case against the nine.
The accused persons were facing charges of treason, abetment of unlawful assembly and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.
Bisa Akorli, 54, Kofi Dzereke, 39, Thompson Tsigbe, 58, Benjamin Agbadzada, 48, Agbenyega Akudzi, 54, Freemen Blikaku, 36, Nkpe Tsryiri Kudzo aged 61 and Sergeant Samuel Kwabla Kpogli were all released after the directive from the Attorney-General.
They were arrested by a combined team of police and military personnel at Ho on Sunday, May 5 while they were holding a meeting to allegedly to arrange to declare a Western Togoland as an independent state on May 9, 20I9.
Fast forward to September 2020, another group of persons claiming to seek secession from Ghana attacked a police station, commandeered police cars, as well as other state institutions and burned vehicles to register their displeasure.
So far, 54 persons have been arrested in connection with the recent attacks by secesionist groups in the North Tongu constituency and other areas in Volta Region.
