Blow-by-blow account of how Kwame Nkrumah survived four gunshots from Constable Ametewee

Major (retired) Agbeko Sedziafa, head of Security at Castle and State House under Kwame Nkrumah has recounted how Ghana’s first president Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah survived multiple gunshots from Constable Ametewee who was a police officer on guard duties at the Flagstaff House.

In an interview with Asaase radio, Major (rtd) Sedziafa narrated in detail how Constable Ametewee was recruited by some rogue elements within the police to assassinate Kwame Nkrumah.

He disclosed that Kwame Kwame Nkrumah managed to escape the gunshots and fought back to get Ametewee arrested.

He revealed that prior to that incident, there had been another attack on Nkrumah’s life and he has lost trust in the police.

“It came to a time when Nkrumah never trusted the police. After the shooting incident at the Flagstaff house, we had the bodyguard, protection unit and function unit. The function unit members usually travelled ahead of Kwame Nkrumah whenever he had to travel.

“They were to monitor and hand over the secured area to the protection unit which I belonged to. No one knew where Ametewee came from. It was later known that some of the police officers recruited Ametewee to come and do the dirty work for them.

“Since the police officers who worked with Nkrumah knew his movements, they briefed Ametewee and gave him five rounds of ammunitions. The raffle was the old type. You cock it, fire and cock it again before firing. He was given the ammunition with the view that when he uses the five rounds, he should be able to kill Nkrumah. Normally Nkrumah’s house wasn’t far from the office. The Flagstaff House was two or three yards from Nkrumah’s office.

“When Nkrumah was going to have launch, he normally passed through the lawn with the bodyguards behind him. Being a policeman who doesn’t know much about firing as compared to military, he immediately put four in his pocket and loaded the rifle ready for action. So when Nkrumah was going for his lunch, there is a door he usually used and the police officers who knew about his time placed Ametewee there because that place is not for the bodyguards.

“As soon as Nkrumah emerged from the office and Amatewee saw him, he waited for a while and fired the first shot. He forgot that he had already loaded the gun ready for action so he recalled and that ammunition fell down. He loaded again and fired at Nkrumah and chased him and fired another one but missed.

“He fired another shot and killed Sergeant Dargati. He chased Nkrumah again and missed another shot. Nkrumah entered the residence and went to hide behind the kitchen door. Ametewee didn’t know so when he entered Nkrumah struck him down and there the bodyguards managed to get him,” he continued.