)
The five members will spend a total of 25 years in jail.
The five were arrested by the police in September 2020 after they blocked the Aveyime road from Accra with sand and attacked the Aveyime and Mepe Police stations in the Volta Region,
The High Court convicted the five accused persons on March 17, after finding them guilty of offences contrary to the Prohibited Organisations Act 1976 (Supreme Military Council Decree/SMCD20).
The convicts were arrested in 2020 as part of members of the Western Togoland Foundation who attacked a police station at Aveyime, freed inmates, stole ammunition, blocked roads leading to the Volta Region and shot a police officer.
)
)
)
Prior to the sentencing, counsel for the convicts in his mitigating prayer urged the court to consider the fact that the convicts have been in custody for more than two years for the entire duration of the trial, the fact that they are first-time offenders and also are of youthful age before sentencing.
But the prosecution prayed the court to give a harsher sentence which will deter other persons standing trial and harbouring plots of engaging in similar acts.
The judge considering the arguments noted that the actions of the convicts are premeditated and aggravated hence the maximum sentence of five years should apply.
)
The first accused, Ebenezer Gblorkpor who was found guilty and convicted on counts one, two, and four was sentenced to five years in prison in hard labour (IHL).
The second accused, Afetorgbor Kpogo, who was found guilty and convicted on the first count only was sent to five years in prison in hard labour.
The third accused (Joseph Nyamewu), fourth accused (Wisdom Kuvor), and fifth accused (Israel Bessah Kpexor) who were all found guilty and convicted on counts three and four were also handed five years in prison in hard labour.