JJ@NRC: "I am unemployed" - Rawlings

Accra, Feb 12, GNA - Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday told the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) that he was currently unemployed.
The response of the former President attracted a loud laughter from the public gallery of the Old Parliament House, where the Commission had subpoenaed him to give evidence.

He arrived in the Hall at exactly 0928 hours, dressed in light green designer jumper, brown trousers and black shoes to match, and took a seat close to Dr Josiah Ayeh one of his legal team members in the Witness gallery. A large crowd of fans that accompanied him wanted to enter the Hall with him but security personnel prevented them. He had earlier been preceded by his Personal Assistant Mr Victor Smith, who entered amidst heckles and commotion at the entrance of the Hall. At 0937, all the eight members, plus the Chairman, Mr Justice Kweku Etru Amua-Sekyi were ready to listen to the evidence of the former President, who was a Military Ruler of the country from January 1982 until he became a constitutional President in first week of January 1992.
People in the capacity filed public galleries, raised the roof with applause, catcalls and slogans, after Dr Ken Attafuah the Commission's Executive Secretary invited former President Rawlings into the Witness seat.
Mr Justice Amua-Sekyi called the hearing to order and asked the crowd in galleries to comport itself for the Hall was not a theatre or a dance hall.
He cautioned that security personnel would clear the entire galleries save the Media and proceed without them. The timely warning was heeded.
The Commission had subpoenaed Former President Rawlings to produce tapes on the execution of Corporal Halidu Giwa and Lance Corporal Andrews Bamfo Sarkodie-Addo and others, at the Air Force Base in Accra in or about March 1984.
The Former President was also to produce an audiotape of the last confession of the late Joachim Amartey Kwei, former Member of the erstwhile government of the Provisional National Defence Council. Mr Amartey Kwei had been tried and executed for complicity in the abduction and murder of three High Judges and a retired army Major on June 30 1982.
Madam Yaa Adjei, then married to L/Cpl Sarkodie-Addo had filed a petition on the death of her husband; while Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, son of the late Mr Justice K Agyei Agyepong, one of murdered Judges, had filed another on his father.
Following their petition and testimonies, the Commission invited Mr Riad Hozaifeh, a friend of the Former President and a photographer, who implied in his evidence that the videotape he made on the execution of the soldiers was in the custody of the Former President Rawlings. It also invited Naval Captain Assasie Gyimah, who gave evidence in connection with the petition and evidence of Mr Kwabena Agyepong, now Press Secretary to President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Baafour Assasie Gyimah said in his evidence that Former President Rawlings went to the executions range and took the last confession before Amartey Kwei was executed.
Former President Rawlings, who said he was now unemployed, but was enlisted as officer into the Ghana Air Force in about 1967, said he watched excerpts of the said tapes on the executions for five minutes and handed it over to the late Warrant Officer Class One Tetteh, his Aide-de-Camp.
A team of Lawyers led by Dr Benjamin Kumbuor, Dr Josiah Aryeh, Secretary -General of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Tony Lithur and Mr Ken Dzirasah, Second Deputy Speaker in Parliament, represented the Former President. Mrs Juliana Ewuraesi Amonoo-Neizer, Counsel for the Commission, led the Witness in his evidence.
The Former President said he did not have the tapes, was not sure of the whereabouts of the tape, adding that it might be with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the security agencies or with the late W.O. Tetteh. The Former President expressed fears that the film might have been destroyed in a fire outbreak at the GBC sometime ago. On the audiotape, the Witness said: "When that thing got missing I can't say." He said when Captain Kojo Tsikata (rtd) wanted to use it in a court case in England he could not trace it to give it to him. Witness, appeared disappointed when uncharacteristically the Commission asked no questions; he asked the Chairman: "Oh Sir, why?" The Chairman explained that he was subpoenaed to produce the tapes and since he could not produce them there was no need to continue. The Former President did some courtesies and left the hall. A large crowd of people that filled the entire yard of the Old Parliament House mobbed and sang victory songs as the Former President walked out and was driven away amidst heavy security. Later in interview, Mr Ken Dzirasah said he was pleasantly surprised that the Commission did not ask the Former President any question. He said the appearance of the Former President who ruled the country for about 20 years, was an indication that there was the rule of law in the country. 12 Feb. 04