In June 1979, eight senior officers, including three former heads of state, were executed by firing squad under the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), led by Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings.
General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, a former Head of State; and Major General Emmanuel Kwasi Utuka, a former Border Guards Commander, were executed at the Teshie Military Range on June 16, 1979.
Then, on June 26, 1979, Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo, another former Head of State; General Akwasi Afrifa, also a former Head of State; Major General Robert Kotei, Colonel Roger Felli, Air Vice Marshal George Yaw Boakye and Rear Admiral Joy Amedume were also executed at the same location.
But former president Jerry John Rawlings, in a 2020 interview with veteran broadcaster Kwaku Sakyi-Addo on Asaase Radio’s ‘Sunday Night’, revealed General Afrifa’s name was not originally on the execution list, but was added after a fellow general convinced him that the former head of state deserved to be included.
Rawlings said the retired Afrifa, who was living in his village at the time, had earlier been detained for what he called provocative conduct.
“It might interest you to know that Afrifa was being provocative. And I had him locked up. He wasn’t feeling too good, so I said, they should send him to the hospital,” the late former president recounted.
Once Afrifa recovered, Rawlings said he gave instructions for him to be sent home, only for him to later be brought back in.
Rawlings recounted that on the eve of the executions, he visited a senior general, one of the officers who narrowly escaped being killed during the June 4 uprising, to show him the list of those due to be executed.
He said he was overcome with emotion as he handed over the list, having tried to prevent the killing of senior military commanders.
“I was in a very heavy mood… I couldn’t hold back the tears, because we had tried everything to prevent it,” he said.
According to Rawlings, the general studied the list and then asked, “Where’s the rogue? The rogue’s name is not on the list.” When Rawlings turned to ask who he meant, the general named Afrifa.
Rawlings said the general told him Afrifa had been given money to campaign against the Acheampong-led union government, but had instead used the funds to edge out William Ofori-Atta, popularly known as “Paa Willie,” and take over the leadership of the United National Convention (UNC).
“Whether it happened or not, I don’t know,” Rawlings said of the allegation, but he said it was clear at that point that Afrifa’s name would have to be added.
“We would have to make some serious sacrifices and the guiltier you are, the easier it could be. And here you had a list of innocent good people as well who would have to die to save hundreds.”
Looking back, Rawlings said he later came to believe the general may have had his own motives, suggesting he felt overshadowed by Afrifa’s standing within the June 4 movement.
“I was a little naive also around that time. It wasn’t until later that I saw through what he did,” he said.
He continued “What he said could very well have been true. However, I think he wanted that man out of the way because he felt, you know, upstaged by General Afrifa, by virtue of the ‘66 coup. Until then, he thought he was a rising star. You know, the point man for Western intelligence organisations.
“And now, the ‘66 coup happened. I guess he’s (Afrifa) the one they’re dealing with and not him, who he thought was more qualified.”
Rawlings also disclosed that the same general had made several attempts on his life over the years, though he declined to give details.
“The number of attempts he made on my life… read my book when it comes out,” he said.
He confirmed the general is still alive but said they are no longer on good terms. Asked whether he had any regrets over the executions, Rawlings did not respond.
Watch the interview below:
