Assassination Story Has No Factual Basis - NDC

In the aftermath of the operation near the residence of former President Rawlings, the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) has written to the President John Kufuor alleging that former leader was under physical attack and siege.

The party disclaims the assertion and the reports in sections of the media that there was an attempt to assassinate the former president, saying it was a decoy by the security agencies.

A statement signed by the General Secretary of the party, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya said the assassination story has no factual basis whatsoever.

We reproduce the full letter to the President.

To His Excellency the President
The Castle - Osu
Accra.


Dear Sir,

EX-PRESIDENT RAWLINGS UNDER PHYSICAL ATTACK AND SIEGE

We bring to your attention the unacceptable invasion of the residence of Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings (former President of Ghana) and the siege that was mounted against him and members of his household over the weekend. The facts are briefly as follows.

On Friday, June 8, 2001 at 6.30 p.m. the residence and family of Flt. Lt. JJ Rawlings were subjected to an outrageous invasion and threat of unprovoked violence, by a contingent of 47 fully armed military and police personnel, sent by the government. For more than two hours the troops who came in five combat vehicles surrounded the former president house and adjacent buildings, waiting for orders from above to commence their armed action against President Rawlings and his family.

When the former president, more concerned with the safety of the members of his household rather than his own life, confronted the military/police team and asked their mission, he was informed that "they were given orders from above to come and wait." When the former president further enquired about the identity of the persons who had ordered their action, he was informed by the Officer-in-charge "that they did not know."

Apparently, the invasion was called off when the media that had been alerted by a member of the former president's household started broadcasting the event. However, the next day, Saturday 9th June 2001 at precisely 6.30 a.m., the BNI took over the invasion of the president's residence.

The BNI personnel illegally entered one of the three houses officially allocated to the ex-president. They broke down doors and used metal detectors to comb the premises. One of the caretakers of the house named Odinga was arrested and at the present time we believe that he is still in detention in BNI cells well over the statutory 48-hour period allowed under the Constitution.

We have noted that today's edition of the Daily Graphic dated Monday June 11, 2001 carries a front-page story entitled "Belize National grabbed", ostensibly as an attempt by the security agencies to create a decoy or red herring for the real purpose of the invasion.

The arrest and detention of Mr. Odinga, a friend of the former president who has been in Ghana for more than 10 years cannot be the real reason for the illegal and undemocratic invasion of the residence and assault on the rights of the former president, his family and other members of his household. We believe that the invasion forms part of the NPP government's campaign vilification aimed at the creation of public hatred for the former president in both Ghana and the international community.

In the light of the false impression that the security agencies sought to create with the planted publicity on the arrest and detention of "Odinga", we are compelled to bring to your attention the following facts relating to the invasion.

• 1. The former president was not informed about the combined military/police operation and its purpose, before it was executed.
• 2. The office in charge of the operation disclaimed to the former president, knowledge of the purpose of the operation and of the authority behind it.
• 3. Neither the office in charge of the former president's Police Security Detail at his house nor chief superintendent Brakatu, who is in charge of the detail, was given prior information about the operation.
• 4. The police security detail at the former president's residence allowed its area of operation (AOP) to be invaded by armed personnel on an operation that the detail had no fore knowledge.