The J.J. Rawlings Foundation has officially announced the passing of Sgt. Peter Tasiri Azongo, a pivotal figure in Ghana's revolutionary history and a key architect of the June 4, 1979, uprising.

Sgt. Tasiri, a veteran non-commissioned officer, passed away on Sunday, 15th February 2026.

In a statement signed by Kobina Andoh Amoakwa of the Foundation's Communications Directorate, the organisation expressed profound sadness, describing Tasiri as a man whose sacrifices helped reshape the socio-political landscape of modern Ghana.

The jailbreak that changed history

A native of the Kusaug Traditional Area in the Upper East Region, Sgt. Tasiri is best remembered for his daring role in the events of mid-1979. Following the failed insurrection on 15th May 1979, then-Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings was arrested and faced a potential death sentence.

Sgt. Tasiri and his band of non-commissioned officers were instrumental in the successful jailbreak that released Rawlings, directly triggering the June 4th uprising.

The Foundation noted that this movement was a response to the "economic hardship and widespread corruption" that had crippled the nation during that era.

“Your sacrifices helped to lay the foundation for the socio-political transformation that Ghana enjoys today. We will endeavour to keep the light you all lit alight and carve your memories in stone,” the Foundation stated in its tribute.

A legacy of sacrifice

The Foundation called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to join in commiserating with the family of the late Sgt. Tasiri. His death marks the loss of one of the few remaining witnesses to the inner workings of the movement that transitioned Ghana from military instability toward the path of the Fourth Republic.

The J.J. Rawlings Foundation has pledged to preserve his memory as a symbol of the tireless effort required to fight systemic corruption and promote national integrity.