General News of Thursday, 9 November 2017

Source: yen.com.gh

FLASHBACK: When Rawlings met widow of General Acheampong

Former President Rawlings with widow of deceased General Acheampong Former President Rawlings with widow of deceased General Acheampong

A picture has been taken of former president Rawlings and the widow of deceased General Acheampong who was, together with two other politicians killed by firing squad at the Teshie Military Range in Accra.

Generals Acheampong, Afrifa and Akufo were cherry-picked by Mr. Rawlings and his AFRC henchmen and summarily executed by firing squad at the Teshie Military Range, in broad daylight on June 16 1979.

It all happened after the overthrow of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) by the AFRC under the leadership of Jerry Rawlings when Acheampong together with Afrifa and Akufo were found guilty of corruption, embezzlement, and using their positions to amass wealth.

Afrifa had written a letter to Acheampong expressing fears about the future execution of soldiers as a deterrent against the staging of military coups in Ghana, due to the prevailing corruption and indiscipline in the military. This was around the period of the UNIGOV campaign and before Acheampong was removed in a palace coup on 5 July 1978.