BNI Questions Rawlings Again

Former President Jerry Rawlings has re-appeared before an investigative panel at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) offices in connection with alleged subversive and treasonable statements made in Kumasi last Friday. The BNI invited him to appear before the investigative panel conducting enquiries into matters of grave national security concern.

This was his second appearance today after this morning’s meeting with the security agencies was called off.

The ex-President reportedly arrived at the BNI offices at about 2pm and as at 5pm, he had still not come out. A statement from the Attorney General’s Department said the investigation would also address some concerns of the governance committee of government on the potentially treasonable nature of Jerry Rawlings’ statements.

The former President earlier this morning, arrived in his Jaguar at the BNI Head office at Ridge as scheduled. Our reporter who was trailing him says a few minutes after entering the yard, he came out, sat in his car again and drove towards the Greater Accra Regional branch of the BNI located at 37.

The ex-President told a local radio station - JoyFM - in an interview that he met a panel of seven under the chairmanship of Lt Col Johnson, who he said worked with him during the AFRC era and was the secretary to Joshua Hamidu, the former Head of National Security.

The BNI officials according to him, demanded that his special assistant, Victor Smith leaves the room, but he rejected their request saying that he needed a witness and will only obey them if they allow him to record proceedings of the meeting.

“They sounded unwilling to talk and say whatever they had in mind. They insisted that they wanted to see me alone so when it looked like they would not talk, I said Victor, please excuse us. Having asked Mr Smith to leave, they asked for an adjournment but I said let’s get this done. But they still said they will have to contact their superiors”.

The ex-President who left the place within a few minutes told JOY FM that “the whole show was to create the impression that the BNI has been able to invite President Rawlings to face a panel of interrogators”.