Two senior cops, others remanded in Western Togoland case

Four persons, including two police inspectors stationed at the Jasikan Police District of the Oti Region, have been remanded in connection with the Western Togoland secession case.

The two inspectors are Billy Akuaku and Gabriel Dorduno.

The others are Jasper Mawulolo Agudogo, a private security personnel stationed at the Trust Hospital in Osu, and Saviour Amanyo, a resident of Dzodze.

They were put before the Kaneshie District Court presided over by Her Worship Ama Adomako Kwakye on Tuesday, April 13.

All four suspects were remanded into BNI custody to reappear on May 4.

While their lawyer, Robertson Kpatsa, prayed the court to admit them to bail, the prosecutor Inspector Amoah Richard opposed the bail stating that investigations were still ongoing.

Their pleas were not taken owing to the indictable nature of count one while the court detained them into BNI custody.

They are on five provisional charges to wit treason felony, conspiracy to commit crime, namely treason felony, participation in a campaign of a prohibited organization, causing unlawful damage, and stealing.

Brief facts

The Prosecutor Inspector Amoah Richard told the court that Billy Akuaku and Gabriel Dorduno are police Inspectors stationed at the Jasikan Police District in the Oti Region.

While Jasper Mawulolo Agudogo worked with a private security firm and stationed at Trust Hospital, Osu, Accra, and Saviour Amanyo, a resident of Dzodze.

He said all the suspects are members of prohibited organizations, namely, Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF) and the United Freedom Fighters (UFF).

According to bim, on or before September 25, 2020, the suspects, together with others at large, agreed with a common purpose to secede from the Republic of Ghana.

According to the prosecutor, that, pursuant to their agreement, on September 25 between the hours of 0100 and 0700, members of WTRT armed themselves with offensive weapons such as guns, classes, cuddles, and many others.

They simultaneously launched attacks on some selected government installations within towns in the Volta and Eastern Regions Malley Aveyime, Mepe, Bator, Juapong and New Akrade.

He said the affected government installations include North Torgu District Assembly, Aveyimeand Mepe Police Stations.

The suspects overpowered the police officers on duty at the stations, broke into the armouries and carted away 13 AK 47 Assault Rifles, two pistols, five Pump Action guns, one short gun, two Mack-3 guns, one Mack-4 guns, three SMGs rifles, 11 Rubber Bullets, 25 rounds of 37mm tear gas Cartridge and about 300 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.

According to the prosecutor, they also took along a police patrol vehicle at the Aveyime Police Station with registration number GP 195.

The Prosecutor said, at the District Assembly, the suspects forcibly broke into the offices and made away with five desktop computers, one MTN Turbonet routers, one refrigerator, and a printer.

He said they unlawfully blocked four major roads that connect the Volta Region from Accra direction amidst chanting “freedom! Freedom!! Freedom!!! This is our land” and obstructed road users’ access to the road.

The prosecutor said a police vehicle, four AK-47 rifles, 55 rounds of ammunition, six AK-47 magazines, one bayonet and tear gas have since been retrieved.

He said, in October last year, suspect Jasper Mawulolo Agudogo was arrested and admitted being a member of UFF and that he is the assistant to the president of the Group Raphael Tettevi.

Akuaku, Dorduno and Amanyo were arrested between April 7 and 8, and that, they found the membership card of Western Togoland with Akuaku and Dorduno and other related documents of the Western Togoland were retrieved.

In the past, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), a separatist group, had announced a breakaway of parts of the Volta Region, Oti Region, Northern Region and Upper East as an independent state called Western Togoland.