General News of Saturday, 19 January 2008

Source: JOY ONLINE

Francis Poku In Self-Imposed Exile?

Sacked National Security Minister, Francis Poku has left Ghana for the United Kingdom to cool off.

He left on Saturday January 19, 2008.

His departure follows a compromise reached after mediation efforts by the Asantehene, Osei Tutu II.

The closed door meeting between President Kufuor and Francis Poku was held following the furore that the dismissal of the latter had caused.

After Mr. Poku was sacked last Saturday by the president, police personnel stormed his residence subsequently. The presence of the police in his residence was later reported as a house arrest.

The government however, denied that and said the incident reported to be a house arrest was a debriefing session.

But Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. J.B. Danquah during an interview on Peace FM, said the police personnel went to Mr. Poku’s residence because he refused instructions to go to Australia House to hand over and had threatened to shoot any one who comes into his residence.

It is not known how long he would be in the UK.