Suspected secessionists charged for conspiring to commit treason felony

The eight persons arrested in Ho in the Volta Region in a joint operation by the police and the military for their alleged attempt to declare independence for the Volta Region will be arraigned today.

Police said they had been charged with conspiracy to commit treason felony, abetment of unlawful training, unlawful assembly and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.

According to the Director General of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr David Senanu Eklu, their statements had been taken and the docket forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Department for advice.

He said the police were on the heels of the other accomplices who managed to escape arrest.

Volunteer information

ACP Eklu reiterated the call by the Police Administration to members of the public, especially residents of Ho and its environs, to volunteer information on the activities of the group, its leaders and members to the police to assist in investigations.

He said  anyone with information that would lead to the arrest of the members of the group should report to the nearest Police Station or call toll-free on 191 or 18555.

The group calling itself the Homeland Study Group Foundation planned to secede the Volta Region from Ghana and declare it as an independent country called Western Togoland.

Eight of its members were arrested by a combined team of police and military personnel in Ho last Sunday in a house while holding a meeting to finalise arrangements to declare the Volta Region an independent state, on May 9, 20I9.

They claim that the Volta Region (Western Togoland) was formerly an independent state before being made to join Ghana in a plebiscite.

Read Also: Police expose 'Western Togoland' secessionist group's plans

Those arrested

Those arrested, including the 85-year-old Chairman of the group, Mr Charles Kormi Kudjordji, popularly known as Papavi Hogbedetor, were airlifted by the 66 Artillery Regiment from Ho to Accra and they had been placed in police custody to assist in investigations.

The others are Mr Bisa Akorli, 54, Mr Kofi Dzreke, 39, Mr Thompson Tsigbe, 58, Mr Benjamin Agbadzada, 48, Mr Agbenyega Akudzi, 54, Mr Freemen Blikaku, 36, and Mr Nkpe Tsryiri Kudzo aged 61.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service in Accra last Monday indicated that the intelligence agencies had gathered sufficient evidence that implicated the suspects.

According to the statement, the leaders had in their possession a constitution, a national emblem and a national anthem prepared by the eight persons and their accomplices for their supposed country.

It said activities of the group also included illegally recruiting and training young people in a “militia style" for them to form the core of their supposed country‘s armed forces and police force.

Background

This is the second time, the leadership of the Homeland Study Group Foundation had been arrested for attempting to declare the Volta Region an independent state and although they were charged with treason, they were later cautioned and discharged.

The group has been demanding the secession of the Volta Region and parts of the Northern, North East and Upper East regions from Ghana to become the Western Togoland state as soon as possible.

According to the group, the Gold Coast voted to be a unitary state on July 12, 1956 while the Western Togoland voted to be in union with Ghana on July 9, 1956 and that the union had not been established till now.