One of the most dramatic moments in Ghana’s political history happened in September 1989, when the late Major Courage Quashigah, once a trusted ally of Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, was suddenly arrested by the very military government he had helped defend years earlier.
At the time, Ghana was under the rule of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) led by Rawlings. Ironically, Quashigah had built his reputation as one of Rawlings’ fiercest loyalists, especially after his heroic role in crushing the bloody June 19, 1983 coup attempt, where he reportedly led military officers to recapture the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and save the government from collapse.
However, behind the scenes, tensions had reportedly started growing between the two men. Quashigah’s growing popularity among junior soldiers and ordinary citizens allegedly made some powerful figures within the PNDC uncomfortable. His increasing support for constitutional democracy and civilian rule also reportedly placed him at odds with the direction of the military regime.
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| Major Courage Quashigah |
According to later accounts, Quashigah claimed there had been earlier attempts to frame him. In one shocking allegation, he said state officials once gave him wooden carvings as gifts for an official trip to Canada, allegedly hiding illegal drugs in one of them to get him arrested abroad. By chance, the specific carving was reportedly left behind in Ghana.
Then came the dramatic turn.
Between September 24 and 26, 1989, military intelligence officers moved swiftly against Quashigah. He was arrested together with several other officers, including Flight Lieutenant William Kofi Domie, Squadron Leader Edward Akakpo, Abdulai Yusif Mohamed, and Kwabena Donkor.
The PNDC government accused them of engaging in activities that threatened national security. According to state allegations, they were involved in a plot to assassinate Rawlings and overthrow the military government. Yet, despite the seriousness of the accusations, the state never publicly presented strong evidence or proceeded with a formal criminal trial.
Following his arrest, Quashigah was reportedly detained under harsh conditions by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI). He was allegedly placed in solitary confinement, denied access to family members, lawyers, and independent medical care for long periods.
While he remained in detention, state-controlled media reportedly launched what many critics later described as a “media trial.” Newspapers allegedly published stories portraying him as guilty, including claims that he had attempted to escape custody and later pleaded for mercy reports strongly denied by his supporters.
The most disturbing chapter of the saga came with the death of one of his co-accused, Flight Lieutenant William Kofi Domie.
In November 1989, authorities announced that Domie had allegedly died by suicide inside detention. But when his body was released, disturbing claims emerged. Family members and human rights groups reportedly questioned the official explanation, alleging signs of severe physical injuries and torture. The controversy deepened fears that Quashigah himself might also be in danger.
Yet after more than two years in detention, something surprising happened: Major Quashigah was never formally charged or taken to court.
As Ghana prepared to return to multiparty democracy in the early 1990s, the PNDC quietly released him. His military career, however, had effectively ended. He was discharged from the armed forces and forced into civilian life.
But Quashigah was far from finished.
Rather than disappear from public life, he entered politics and eventually joined the New Patriotic Party (NPP), becoming one of its most influential organizers.
In a twist of history, the man once trusted by Rawlings later became a key figure in defeating Rawlings’ political tradition at the ballot box.
Major Courage Quashigah's story is more than politics; it is a lesson about power, loyalty, trust and survival during one of Ghana's most turbulent periods.
Did Ghana ever get the full truth about the events surrounding his arrest?
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Credit: The Heritage Chronicle Africa
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