3 Murdered Judges And Military Officer Remembered

A Remembrance service has been held at the Ridge Church in Accra, for the 3 Justices of the High Court who were gruesomely murdered 39 years ago.

The service which is the 39th edition, was attended by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his vice, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, among other luminaries of the legal profession in Ghana.

It may be recalled that on June 30th 1982, the 3 High Court judges Justice Fred Poku Sarkodie, Justice Cecilia Koranteng-Adow and Justice Kwodwo Agyei Agyepong, and a military officer, Major Sam Acquah  were abducted and murdered at the Bundase Military Range in the Accra Plains.

A Special Investigation Board constituted by the then ruling Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime, after its investigation, implicated the culprits namely Joachim Amartey Kwei, Lance Corporals Samuel Amedeka and Michael Senyah and 2 ex soldiers Johnny Dzandu and Tony Tekpor, who prosecuted and found guilty by a National Public Tribunal and sentenced to death.

During the service biographies of the 3 late Justices were read by members of the Ghana Bar Association.

The President of the Ghana Bar Association, Mr. Anthony Forson Jr. in his address urged the executive to enhance the security apparatus in the country where the police service in the various regions would be competing with each other annually on the incidence of crime and increase the confidence of the people in the police service.

Rt Rev Dr. Daniel Torto in his sermon reminded the congregation to always be guided by the promises of God, stating that no matter how daunting a case maybe, one should always remember the voice of God as they serve in the legal space.

He said legal professionals should always be true to their wigs and deliver justice impartiality to the people.

He said as a nation its good to be against somethings in society and said its also good to be for virtues in life.

Present at the ceremony were some dignitaries including the Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah, the Attorney General Godfred Dame, Kow Essuman, legal aide to the President, Sam Okudjeto, former New Patriotic Party General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, who incidentally is a son of one of the celebrated justices on the day, and  some supreme court justices among others in the legal fraternity in Ghana.

By: Isaac Clottey

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