According to the Daily Dispatch, the ongoing investigations into the alleged plot to harass and possibly eliminate some journalists and social commentators reveal that an amount of C120 million was earmarked as down payment towards the successful completion of the plot.

The paper added that the plot was supposed to be executed in three stages.

The first stage was the publication of an open letter threatening the Editor of the Crusading Guide, Kwaku Baako Jnr, and a Lecturer at the School of Communication Studies, Mrs Margaret Amoakohene to refrain from criticizing former President Rawlings unduly.

The full text of the letter unedited read.

OPEN LETTER TO: 1. Mr. Kwaku Baako - Editor of Crusading Guide,

2. Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, Lecturer at GV, Legon

Subject: Warning to desist from perpetual attacks on the person of former president Jerry Rawlings on national media networks, (particularly GBC Breakfast Show and JOY FM programmes) We wish to remind you, in case you have forgotten, that in 1996, President Rawlings bagged 57.6 % of the votes cast in the election, which should in this country.

President Rawlings still commands a large support of the Ghanaian electorate. We will not stand idle for you to continue to hurt our feelings by such senseless personal attacks any longer. Be Warned.

The open letter, which a special aide to the ex-president, Victor Smith, admitted that he drafted at the instance of one A.K. Mensah, a leading member of one of the groups loosely identified with the main opposition party, the NDC, was to be published in the media.

The second phase of the alleged plot, which Mr. Smith has vehemently denied knowledge of was to physically assault the journalists/social commentators if the criticisms against the ex-president continued.

The third and final phase, if the criticisms continued, was that the cars used by the above journalists and social commentators would be run off the road and made to look like accidents. According to the Daily Dispatch, there are credible indications that some of the suspects arrested will be arraigned before the courts soon.