Western Togoland: 93-yr-old, 9 other separatists charged with treason in Ghana

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Ten members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) have been charged with treason felony, police prosecutors in Ghana say.

The suspects include 93-year-old Togbui Kuoro ll; Ishmael Dzerakor, 83; Umborgati Samuel, 54; Umar Abdul Samad, 53 and Michael Hope, 49.

The others are George Lihor, 49; Mohammed Karim, 45; Hordiba Innocent, 68; Kanu Emmanuel, 58, and Maglo Tsey Mawuli, 34.

The 10 have been remanded by the Wa Circuit Court presided over by His Worship, Baar Forson Agyapong.

D/Sgt. Martin K. Dagbortse, prosecuting, told the court that the group who call themselves members of “the Western Togoland movement group” on 29th November held a meeting with the paramount chief of Wa, Naa Fuseina Pelpuo lV and his sub-chiefs on the blind side of the police to seek their support in the formation of the Western-Togoland.

He said the group were not given audience and were chased out of the palace. The matter got to the Upper West Regional Police Command who mounted surveillance on the group.

D/Sgt Martin K. Degbortse further told the court that on the 30th of November, 2019, police intelligence gathered that the group was at the Tumu Chief’s palace to court support from the Sissala Chiefs.

Based on the intelligence, personnel from the Sissala East Police command proceeded to the area, got them arrested and transferred them to the Upper West Regional police command for further investigation.

His worship, Baar Forson Agyapong, before remanding the 10 suspected separatists said the court did not have the jurisdiction to go into the merits of the case.

He thus, remanded them, to allow for the police to continue with investigations.

The suspects are to reappear in court on December 9, 2019.

The Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) led by 85-year-old Komi Kudzordzi, announced its separation on their official social media handles on Saturday, November 16, after a group meeting was held in Ho.

Five of the group’s members who were arrested last month are already facing charges of treason for their involvement in the supposed independence declaration that saw the Volta Region was now ‘Western Togoland.’

The four; Peter Godfriend Edem, Mkpe Tornyi Kudjo, Kofi Agbeko, Agbenyaga Akudzi and Ibrahim Tofa are expected to return to court on Decempolice

Background

In May, about 81 members of the separatist group were arrested for assembling for a protest over the arrest of seven leaders of the Homeland Study Group Foundation.

Charles Kormi Kudzodzi – popularly known as Papa Hogbedetor, had been arrested along with seven others when they first declared their intent to secede at one of the group’s regular study meetings.

The Attorney General in July 2019 eventually withdrew all charges brought against the members of Homeland Study Group Foundation who were working for the secession of the Volta Region from Ghana.

The group claims that the area was an independent State before being made to join Ghana in the 1956 plebiscite.

The Government of Ghana in a statement slammed the group’s supposed declaration of ‘Western Togoland’ as an independent State.

“The Government of Ghana takes note of the activities of a group known as the Homeland Study Foundation, purporting to declare secession from Ghana, a statement signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah read.

“Ghana remains a sovereign state which has not ceded any part of its territory to any person or group of persons”, the statement further indicated.

By J. Ofori, Daily Mail GH