A former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, believes the continuous fight for Ghana’s democracy must be take centre stage in the lives of citizens.
Kwabena Agyepong was the son of Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong, one of three prominent Ghanaian judges who was abducted and murdered during the early years of Ghana’s Provisional National Defence Council.
After his father’s death, Kwabena was offered political asylum by the British but refused it. With the trauma suffered, Kwabena wished no other Ghanaian child will suffer a similar fate, hence, became active in Ghanaian politics to fight for Ghana re-entering constitutional rule after over a decade of Military rule.
Kwabena’s mother a British, was back in the Queensland and had his (Kwabena’s) younger brother, Kofi with her but her eldest son refused to join them.
“When my father died the British offered me asylum but I didn’t go. I wanted to be here, sacrifice and be a clot on the conscience of the nation. I got a scholarship to study at the Imperial College and my mother wanted me to come but I didn’t go. I chose to stay and defeat military adventurism in Ghana.”
The politician who had a close relationship with his father, premised his decision on the fact that he was not going to let his father’s death be in vain. “I decided to stay to cause change. I made sure I fought for a liberal government where everyone could realise their God given talent.”
He made this known in an interview with Rev Erskine on the Y Leaderboard Series on Y107.9FM.
On 30 June 1982, three High Court Judges as well as a retired army officer were murdered in cold blood at the Bundase Military Range in the Accra Plains, after being abducted on the night by some unidentified assailants. The four were Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Addo, Justice Kwadwo Agyei Agyepong, Justice Fred Poku Sarkodie and Major Rtd. Sam Acquah.
Following intense pressure on Rawlings and the PNDC, a Special Investigation Board was formed by the government to investigate the murders of the three High Court Judges and the retired army officer.
Five people – Joachim Amartey Kwei (then 32 years); L/Cpl Samuel Kwaku Amedeka (27); L/Cpl Michael Senya (21); Johnny Dzandu (23) and Tony Tekpor (24) were tried by a National Public Tribunal.
All the five, except L/Cpl Amedeka, who was tried in absentia, were sentenced to death by firing squad.
The three High Court Judges were martyred and are remembered in an annual judicial service on the anniversary of their deaths, called Martyrs Day, in Ghana.
By: Joel Sanco
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