The Accra High Court on Wednesday sentenced six out of ten persons accused of attempting to secede part of the Volta and Oti Regions from Ghana.
They were jailed for being members of prohibited organisations, attending and participating in meetings of prohibited organisations, and accepting contributions from a prohibited organisation in Mepe, Battor and Juapong, in the Volta Region.
The prohibited groups were the Homeland Study Group Foundation and the Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF).
Gabriel Godfred Govina, a retired teacher, was sentenced to three years in prison, and ordered to pay a fine of $3,600 or serve three months in prison in default, and Benjamin Gbadago was sentenced to 24 months in prison, and a fine of GH¢2,400 or serve four months in prison in default.
Cephas Zodanu, a Secretary of WTRF, who accepted various contributions of members, was sentenced to three years imprisonment and a fine of GH¢2,400, and will serve five more months in prison if he fails to pay the fine.
Roland Ametepey was sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined GH¢2,400 and will serve additional four months in default of the fine.
Cosmos Havor, aka Togbe Adzaklo, a traditional ruler, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined GH¢4,800 and Vincent Ramseyer Atsu-Gadey was sentenced to six months imprisonment.
In imposing the sentence on the six, the court stated that it took into consideration the mitigating pleas of the respective defence counsels, the fact that the accused
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were first-time offenders, and the premise that some had been jailed for a period.
The trial Judge, Mrs Justice Mary Ekue Nyanzuh, stated that the accused, given their status, should have known better and that their conduct created public concern.
The court found the secessionists guilty of the charges, but deferred sentencing to Wednesday. However, four others; John Gbedemah, Godwin Awudza, Excel Liberty AhetoKuegbesika and Divine Nyadzinyor were acquitted and discharged.
On September 25, 2020, the convicts according to prosecution attacked the Mepe and Aveyime Police Stations, and took away police vehicles, weapons and kidnapped security personnel on duty.
The National Security Council arrested members of the WTRF, who on September 25, 2020, blocked roads at Juapong and Sogakopeand set fire to two STC buses.
The prosecution said on the same day, the group also attacked the Aveyime and Mepe Police Stations, freed inmates in the cells, locked up policemen on duty, took arms and ammunitions from the armory of the police and bolted.
--GNA
