General Kwasi Amankwa Afrifa
Before the tragic and “gruesome” murder of General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa in 1979 by firing squad, the senior military officer predicted his own death in a letter to a colleague in 1977.
In 1977, after his release from prison, General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa wrote a letter to Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, where he prophesied a possible execution involving himself and other senior military officers.
One might recall that in 1966, General Afrifa, alongside Lt. E.K. Kotoka, were key figures in the coup that ousted Dr. Kwame Nkrumah from power.
In a video shared on YouTube by Nana Kollynx, the detailed letter from General Afrifa to Colonel Acheampong was revealed.
Below are the details of his letter to Col Acheampong:
In General Afrifa’s letter, dated December 18, 1977, he expressed fears that he and other former military leaders would be lined up and executed by a firing squad.
The late military general anticipated their deaths as a consequence of the 1966 coup against Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
However, he emphasised that he had no regrets about his involvement in that operation.
“In order to discourage the military from staging coups in the future, how about if they line us all up and shoot us one by one? Then they would disband the Ghana Army, but I do not certainly want to be arrested, given some form of trial, and shot. These are my genuine fears.
“All members of the N.L.C., including General Joseph Ankrah, are involved. I still have no regrets whatsoever about my part in the operations of 1966,” he wrote.
He also expressed concern over how Ghanaians, who had once hailed him after the coup, spoke negatively of him after his retirement.
His anxiety grew further after he read the Koranteng-Addo report, a document discussing the Union Government proposal, especially because Colonel Acheampong was not ready to return the country to civilian rule.
“My fear increases when I look at the Koranteng-Addo report as a whole. I do not like the Union Government as proposed in their report. The political forces militating against it are too strong. I wish very sincerely to let you know that I am worried about my future.
“So many hard and unpleasant things were said about me by the people of this country when I had the opportunity, the very people who hailed me in 1966,” he added.
Due to his fear of execution, General Afrifa entered into politics, hoping to protect both himself and those who had been involved in the 1966 coup.
In his letter, he wrote that he could not sit back and do nothing, knowing that if the country transitioned back to civilian rule, he would likely face prosecution.
“Consequently, I decided that politics would be the last thing I would do in my life. But I would be a foolish general if I would sit on my farm and await the vengeance that is about to be unleashed on us. I do not see how I can be secure in the Union Government.
“I do not also see how you can be secure in that government. What Koranteng-Addo has said is this: If a soldier wants to join this government, then let him take a leave of absence from the Armed Forces.
“You are a soldier, and you will see what happens as soon as you take this leave. Have you forgotten that they made me sign the 1966 Constitution that disqualified me on the grounds of age? I have decided to be in the next parliament in 1979 to protect myself and those who were associated with the 1966 coup,” he wrote.
Although General Afrifa won a parliamentary seat in 1979, just eight days after his victory, he was arrested on his farm at Mampong under the orders of Jerry John Rawlings.
General Afrifa was detained and tried by a Special Court Martial on charges of corruption while in office.
He was sentenced to death by firing squad, with Rawlings’ approval.
On June 26, 1979, General Afrifa was executed. His body was buried without ceremony at the Nsawam Prison Cemetery in Ghana.
Read excerpts of the letter below:
