General News of Thursday, 19 June 2003

Source: Network Herald

Rawlings Proved Right?

The office of ex-president Jerry Rawlings says by the way the police conducted itself with regard to the last interview Mr. Rawlings granted them in relation to his allegation that 15 persons within president Kufuor’s cabinet have knowledge of the serial murder of some 34 women has vindicated his doubts about the neutrality of the Police Administration in carrying out an independent investigations into the allegations.

A source close to the Office of the former president told the Network Herald that the disclosure of the video tape to some media personnel less than 24 hours after the interview which was held in camera was a breach of trust and confirmation of the former president's doubts.

He said Mr. Rawlings’ failure to disclose the names was part of the initial intelligence check on the police to assess their neutrality and surmised that the police failed miserably on that score.

He also endevoured to "top-dress" the presence of KSM as part of the ex-president’s team at the interview with a claim that "the invitation to KSM as an independent observer for the interview was also part of our strategy to ensure that the public gets the truth."

The very unpredictable former President had at a recent public lecture to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the June 4, 1979 uprising that led to the overthrow of the Supreme Military Council led by General Frederick Akuffo, courted controversy when he claimed he could mention about 15 people of the present Kufuor administration who "masterminded the cold blooded killings of the 34 Ghanaian women."

He maintained that the Former President would disclose the names at the appropriate time for the general public to judge and promised that the issue would not be politically played but challenged the Kufuor Administration to also demonstrate a sense of duty by setting up an Independent investigative machinery into the issue.