General News of Wednesday, 18 June 2003

Source: Insight

Amedeka's Comeback: Headache For JAK or JJ?

Both President Kufuor and former President Rawlings will have a lot to worry about if Corporal Amedeka, a convicted murderer returns to the country to give evidence before the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC).

For President Kufuor, his headache will spring from legal and moral questions, which he would have to grapple with. First if Amedeka arrives in the country without a presidential pardon, state security will have to arrest him and carry out the sentence of death imposed on him by the National Public Tribunal for his involvement in the murder of the three High Court Judges and the retired army officer.

Amedeka himself will want to be assured that the sentence will not be carried out before he returns to the country.

Among the interesting questions are: Can President Kufuor really pardon the man who has been convicted of the murder of Kwabena Agyepong’s father?

If President Kufuor were to pardon Amedeka before his appearance at the NRC, would that not be interpreted as a deliberate inducement to implicate others associated with the PNDC?

For Mr Rawlings, his main worry will have to do with attempts to implicate him in the murder of the judges and the retired army officer.

The Insight newspaper says ''whatever happens, the return of Amedeka to Accra will be most interesting''.