Five years in jail with hard labor has been given to the five individuals found guilty in connection with the operations of the Western Togoland foundation group.

The Western Togoland movement is a group of people who want separatists to declare independence from the Republic of Ghana on September 25, 2020.

The accused persons, Ebenezer Gblorkpor, Afetorgbor Kpogo, Joseph Nyamewu, Wisdom Kuvor, and Israel Bessah Kpexor, have been accused on four counts under SMCD 20, i.e., attending meetings of a prohibited organisation contrary to Section 2(1)(b) and making contributions to the funds of a prohibited organisation contrary to Section 2(1)(g).

They were also charged with participating in the campaign of a prohibited organisation, contrary to Section 2(1)(d), and being a member of a prohibited organisation, contrary to Section 2(1)(i).

Ebenezer and his associates were apprehended in 2020 as part of a group of Western Togoland Foundation members who attacked a police station at Aveyime, released prisoners, stole ammunition, blocked roads leading to the Volta Region, and shot a police officer.

The prosecution challenged the defence attorney's request that the court reconsider its sentence on the grounds that the defendants are first-time offenders who are young and have been held for more than a year while awaiting trial.

However, the prosecution requested that the court impose harsher sentences to act as a deterrent to others.

But the judge declined, noting that the convicts' actions were premeditated and aggravated, hence the maximum sentence of five years should apply.

The Western Togoland movement, which unsuccessfully tried to declare independence in November 2019 under the leadership of Papavi Hogbedetor, sought to have the Volta Region and some other parts of the country, which were referred to as Western Togoland.