KWASI GEORGE DOH,                                                                                                                                          E 24 LEGON HALL,                                                                                                                                                UNIVERSITY OF GHANA
8th February, 1974.

Dear Sir,

A REPORT ON MY MOVEMENTS BETWEEN 3RD FEBRUARY AND 8TH FEBRUARY 1974

I left the University Campus on Sunday, 3rd February, 1974 at about 1.30 p.m. to visit my parents at Kpando. I arrived there at about 6.30 p.m. on a State Transport Bus.

I left Kpando, the following morning, 4th February, 1974 for Ho to visit a friend, one Mr. Sebastian Asem of R.C. Boys’ Middle School, Ho. I arrived at Ho at 11.50 a.m. and asked one of his boys to buy me a ticket for that afternoon’s S.T.C. bus trip to Accra. He could not get me one as all had been bought. I bought one for the following morning’s trip (which I still hold) after deciding to pass the night with him.

At about 5 p.m. we were going to visit a friend at the Workers’ Estates, (Mr. Francis ágbeka), when we saw people rushing to a spot. We followed the direction of the people. When we reached the spot there was large crowd of people including children—school children. In the centre of the crowd I saw a woman, a boy of about 19 years and some men with cement blocks on their heads. They were in kneeling position and were being beaten by armed soldiers. One of the men had his shirt soaked with blood that was oozing from his nose. They had cuts on their knees and at their backs.

I was shocked. It was a horrible sight. The crowd kept surging forward and were chased back intermittently.

I approached a policeman who was standing by and asked him what the matter was. He told me that those being tortured were suspects of a crime. I asked him further whether he did not think that it would be better to take the suspects to their barracks for further interrogation. He answered that there was no superior officer around and that he could do nothing about it. I looked round and as I did not see any superior officer, I walked back from the policeman. After taking about 15 steps I was asked by two soldiers to follow them to their boss. I obliged. On arrival I saw that it was Major Grant. He asked me whether I knew him. I answered in the affirmative. He further asked me to tell him what I told the policeman.

I began to do so when the soldiers started beating me after the one with a pistol started slapping me. I protested. I was surprised at the show. I appealed to the Major to save me by showing him my Identity Card saying that I was a student and I had committed no offence. The beating continued mercilessly. I got fed up and took off my shirt and said they had better use their guns. They stopped beating me for a moment but Major Grant ordered them to continue. All of them rushed on me and none missed his target. I was a punching bag until I fell down and they stamped on me. They took me up and the Major ordered them to stop. Some obeyed, others refused. He repeated the order and they all obeyed. I was ordered to climb and before I could comply I was pushed up and one of them hang on the truck and booted me severely. The suspects came to join me and we were driven to the Volta Barracks and put in a courtyard behind the guardroom. Soon the Major arrived and asked me to look at one of the suspects who had a swollen finger. He said the suspect had whitlow and it was because of his smoking Indian hemp that he could withstand the beating. It was there I got to know that the people were Indian hemp suspects. He ordered us to be taken to the hospital for treatment. I was given an injection and some medicine applied to my cuts at my back, hand and face. We were drilled on the return journey back to the Guardroom. On arrival at the court yard, my shirt, shoes and other possessions like a watch, Identity Card, belt and handkerchief were taken away. I was slapped and beaten again on my way to the guardroom. Two soldiers came again and punched my stomach with their batons. I had a sleepless night as my swollen eyes and head pained me ceaselessly. I lost appetite and could not eat for two days. I was asked on the second day, lest I forget, to write a statement. This I did. 

On the 7th of February, the suspects and myself were handed over to the police and driven to the Ho Police Station. Before leaving Volta. Barracks we were given our possessions excluding our various sums. As I write this statement at about 7 p.m. at Legon I have not received my money of ₵34.16 (Thirty-four Cedis Sixteen pesewas). 

At the Police Station I was asked to take off my shirt and surrender all the things I had except my trousers. I was then locked up with the suspects. Later in the afternoon, I was charged with getting involved in an investigation involving Indian hemp dealers and secondly of obstructing a Public Officer in the execution of his duties. I was asked to make statements which I did. On the following morning, i.e. 8th February, 1974, I was arraigned before a Court in Ho with the suspects. They were provisional charges, so the court was told. The prosecution asked that I should be remanded in custody for a week. I pleaded with the magistrate after a long debate during which I explained how I got involved, he allowed me remand with bail in the sum of ₵500.00 with a surety. I was bailed by a friend in a total sum of ₵700.00 (Mr. Francis Koku Agbeka of Regional Education Office, Ho).

 After the court, I went back to the Volta Barracks to collect my money but without success and had to give an authority note to Mr. S. Asem to collect it for me on Monday, 11th February, 1974. I arrived here at about 5 p.m. today, 8th February 1974 in Mr. Agarsah’s far a former student of the Hall who was also at the court. 

K.G. DOH