- Title: GHANA: YOUNG ARMY OFFICERS SENTENCED -- TWO TO DEATH--FOR PART IN COUP ATTEMPT
- Date: 7th May 1967
- Summary: PACKED HALL; TRIBUNAL; PRISONERS MARCHED IN AND SENTENCE PASSED. Initials RGH/VS/CCT/JG Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 22nd May 1967 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ACCRA, GHANA
- Country: Ghana
- Reuters ID: LVAA3KJGCB7GXK2LPEYOU0M2VXU1
- Story Text: A GHANA MILITARY TRIBUNAL IN ACCRA ON FRIDAY (MAY 15 SENTENCED TWO YOUNG ARMY OFFICERS TO DEATH FOR THEIR PART IN LAST MONTH'S COUP ATTEMPT AGAINST THE RULING NATIONAL LIBERATION COUNCIL. A THIRD OFFICER WAS SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR 30 YEARS.
THOSE SENTENCED TO DEATH WERE LIEUTENANT SAM B. ARTHUR, AGED 26, CONFESSED LEADER OF THE 122--MAN RECONNAISSANCE UNIT WHICH ATTACKED KEY POINTS IN ACCRA BEFORE DAWN ON APRIL 17, AND LIEUTENANT MOSES YEBOAH, HIS SECOND IN COMMAND.
ARTHUR WAS FOUND GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY IN PLANNING A COUP, OF ATTACKING ACCRA AND OF KILLING A CAPTAIN WHO REFUSED TO GIVE HIM KEYS TO AN ARMOURY. YEBOAH WAS ALSO FOUND GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY AND OF ATTACKING ACCRA AND OF KILLING THE COMMANDER OF THE GHANAIAN ARMY, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL EMMANUEL KOTAKA.
THE OFFICER JAILED FOR 30 YEARS WAS SECOND LIEUTENANT EBENEZER OSEI POKU, AGED 22. HE WAS POOL GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY AND SUBVERSION BUT NOT GUILTY OF ATTEMPTING TO KILL LIEUTENANT-GENERAL J. A. ANKRAH, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBERATION COUNCIL
THE TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH SHOWED NO EMOTION WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE TRIBUNAL, AIR VICE-MARSHALL M. A. OTU, READ OUT THE SENTENCES. EXECUTION WILL BE BY FIRING SQUAD, BUT THE TRIBUNAL FIXED NO DATE.
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