The Ex-Sergeant Peter Tasiri was a member of the AFRC (Credit: Kwesi Pratt Jnr)
Ex-Sergeant Peter Tasiri, one of the members of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), which overthrew the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II) led by General Fred W. K. Akuffo in 1979, is dead.
The death of Ex-Sergeant Peter Tasiri was announced by veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr, who described him (Tasiri) as the main architect of the June 4 Uprising, which led to the removal of the SMC II.
“Ex-Sergeant Peter Tasiri, the main brain behind the June 4 Uprising and a member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), passed away about an hour ago.
“My deepest condolences to his family,” he wrote in a post shared on X on Sunday, February 15, 2026, which had a picture of Ex-Sergeant Tasiri.
About the June 4 Uprising
On June 4, 1979, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings and junior officers of the Ghana Armed Forces overthrew the Supreme Military Council II (SMC II), led by General Fred W. K. Akuffo.
The June 4 Revolution was preceded by a failed coup attempt on May 15, 1979, led by Rawlings and other junior officers.
Their arrest and public trial backfired on the SMC II, as Rawlings used the courtroom to denounce the regime’s corruption, striking a chord with a frustrated populace. Taking full responsibility for the mutiny, he demanded the release of his co-accused, earning widespread admiration.
On the night of June 3, 1979, junior officers, including Major Boakye Djan, staged a daring operation to free Rawlings from custody. By the morning of June 4, Rawlings announced on national radio that he had been released by the ranks and was under their command, calling on soldiers to converge at Nicholson Stadium in Burma Camp, Accra.
The uprising gained rapid momentum, with soldiers and civilians rallying against the SMC II. Fierce fighting erupted, claiming the lives of several military personnel, including Major General Odartey-Wellington, who attempted to suppress the revolt, and Colonel Joseph Enningful, a former tribunal president.
With the SMC II regime toppled, Rawlings and his allies established the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to govern the country.
Today in History: Rawlings leads June 4 Revolution to overthrow Akuffo-led SMC II
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