An Accra High Court has handed down a significant verdict, sentencing two Police Inspectors to a combined nine years in prison for their involvement with the Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF), deemed a secessionist group and prohibited organization in Ghana.
Billy Akuaku, convicted of making financial contributions to the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), received a five-year prison term and a GHC6,000 fine. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional five months of imprisonment. Gabriel Dorduno, also implicated in financial support to HSGF, was sentenced to four years behind bars and a GHC3,600 fine, with a default option of three months in prison.
The court found both officers guilty of membership in prohibited organizations from 2018 to 2020, highlighting their roles in supporting and participating in activities detrimental to national security. The prosecution revealed that intelligence efforts by the National Security Council led to identifying and apprehending WTRF members involved in disruptive actions in Juapong and Sogakope in September 2022, which included blocking roads and setting vehicles ablaze.
During the trial, the evidence showed that Akuaku and Dorduno were active participants in WhatsApp groups associated with secessionist activities, underscoring their deeper involvement in the organizations. Searches of their residences yielded incriminating materials such as membership cards, financial records, and organizational documents, solidifying the case against them.
The court, recognizing the defendants’ positions within the security service, emphasized the severity of the sentences, stressing the importance of upholding national security and preventing leaks of sensitive information that could compromise public safety.
This landmark ruling, of significant importance, serves as a stark reminder of Ghana’s firm stance against secessionist movements and underscores the legal consequences for individuals involved in such activities within its borders.
