'"What sort of stupidity is this'' - JJ to Govt

Former President Rawlings has responded to recent reports that he had travelled out of the country to plot a coup against the Kufuor government. Speaking to the family of the late former Sergeant Major, WOI Isaac Frimpong, alias ''Red Light'' at his office, the ex-President said he does not understand why the Kufuor government always put a spin on his travels outside the country.

''What sort of stupidity is this'', former President Rawlings said adding that if the Kufuor government continued like that, then he would do his own thing. He explained that his recent visit to Congo was to solicit the support of President Dennis Sassou Ngueso of Congo Brazaville and President Omar Bongo of Gabon to play an active role in the ECOWAS peace mediation process in solving the Ivorian crisis. According to him, the visit had nothing to do with a coup plot.

The former President also accused the NPP administration of complicity in the serial killing of Ghanaian women, a mystery which troubled the country until after the 2000 elections.

Mr Rawlings called for what he described as ''a chemical test'' to determine those responsible for the serial killing of Ghanaian women. He suggested that the Kufuor administration should volunteer 15 persons and he too would bring 15 persons from his past administration to determine those responsible for the serial killing of Ghanaian women.

It will be recalled that after the trial and conviction of Ebo Quansah who confessed to the killing of at least eight women, Rawlings cried out in Kumasi during his ''Boom II'' speech when he called for ''Positive Defiance'' against the government and claimed that Quansah could not be held solely responsible for the serial murders.

The late Red Light, a close confidant of ex-President Rawlings and head of Armed Forces CDRs is remembered for his infamous declaration that if sections of the public are calling for freedom of speech, then there should be freedom to kill and freedom of assassinations.