Western Togoland: Court orders arrest of leader, five others charged with treason felony

The Ho District Court has ordered the arrest of the leader of the Homeland Study Group Foundation, Mr. Charles Kwame Kudzordzi, and two others over their unlawful declaration of the Volta region as a sovereign state.

This was after five other members of the group were put before the court Wednesday for taking part in the activity which announced that the Volta Region was now Western Togoland.

The Magistrate, Mr. Robert Addo issued a bench warrant upon request by the prosecuting officer Chief Superintendent Yakubu Akolgo Ayamga that Mr. Kudzordzi, 85 and his accomplices Gbeku and George Nyarkpo have been at large after the declaration last Saturday, November 16.

The five, Peter Godfriend Edem, Mkpe Tornyi Kudjo, Kofi Agbeko, Agbenyaga Akudzi and Ibrahim Tofa charged with treason, were remanded into prison custody until December 4, after the prosecution told the court that they would be needed to assist investigations.

Briefing the court, Chief Supt Ayamga stated that on November 16, 2019 at about 11: am, the accused persons who are members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation held a special event at Moleme in Ho with about 100 people in attendance.

At the said event, Mr. Kudzordzi allegedly declared the Volta region as an independent country and seceded it from Ghana from the midnight of that day.

Informing the court the role the others accused persons played that day, Chief Supt. Ayamga said Peter was the master of ceremony while Tornyi, Agbeko, Gbeku, Nyarkpo  helped in the organisation of the event. Agbenyaga reportedly was the treasurer responsible for the collection of dues from members and Tofa offered prayers at the said declaration of independence.

According to the prosecutor, Peter had boldly written in his statement to the police that he was a Western Togolander and had never been part of Ghana.

The accused persons who had been on the surveillance radar of the police, the prosecutor said, have been involved in several activities aimed at altering the law and policies of the Republic and to secede part of territories of Ghana. Such meetings since 2017 were reportedly held at the premises of Mr. Kudzordzi while Peter carried out their unlawful activities.

Supt. Ayamga said the jubilant members after the declaration of independence dispersed soon after a video of the event went viral.

Ghana remains intact

Meanwhile, the government has given an assurance that the country remains intact, in spite of the purported declaration of the independence of the Volta Region by a separatist group, the Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF).

“We take note of the activities of the foundation, but Ghana remains a sovereign state which has not ceded any part of its territory to any person or group of persons,” the government said.

A statement signed and issued by the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said: “While admonishing the public to disregard the claims by the group, the general public is hereby informed that state security agencies are taking the necessary measures to ensure that persons involved in the illegal act are dealt with in accordance with the law.”

“Ghana’s security agencies remain in firm charge of Ghana’s territory and we encourage all persons to continue with their daily activities normally,” it added.