Rawlings for Fast Track Court?

A prima facie case in which there is alleged substantial evidence of human rights abuses has been filed at a Fast Track Court in London by a human rights activist for preliminary hearing next month against Ghana’s former president, John Rawlings.

The case to be heard at the Queen Bench Fast Track Court on December 22, was filed by Mr. Alex Asabere who claim to be a victim of human rights abuse under former president Rawlings’s military government.

The case comes at a time when Ghana’s Parliament is debating a National Reconciliation Commission Bill to investigate into the human rights abuses of the military government. He said he initiated the action on the advice of his solicitors. Hodge, Jones and Allen.

The preliminary hearing will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute former President Rawlings for alleged numerous human rights abuses that occurred under his provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) military government which included unlawful detention, unlawful execution and physical abuse of both Ghanaian and foreigners between 1981 and 1992.Mr.Asabere who made this known to the paper said he has well researched and documented evidence to cause the prosecution of former President Flt.Lt.Rawlings.

“I have a list of people given to me by Amnesty International who have suffered various human rights abuses under Flt. Lt. Rawlings and supported by advanced documents,” he told the Daily Guide.

He claims he is being supported strongly by Amnesty International, all UK-based human rights groups for justice to be exacted from former President Rawlings. Asabere decided to press charges against the Rawlings in a foreign land because the country’s Ghana’s constitution exempts the former president from being prosecuted in any law court in Ghana and that the trial of the case will cost the British taxpayer 20, 000 pounds.

Ghana’s Constitution prevents former presidents from prosecution in any of the country’s law courts until after three years beginning from the day recognised by the Constitution that the president relinquishes power or retired from office.

“I want Rawlings to be arrested and tried for his bad deeds and criminal actions during his military tenure and if the Ghanaian Constitution gives him immunities, I will have to look somewhere else for his possible prosecution,” he told the Daily Guide. He added, “President Rawlings should know that the world is now advanced and complicated and that one cannot just commit these heinous crimes and go scot-free” he said.

Asabere said he was going to pursue the case to its logical conclusion and ensure that justice is seen to be done. In a dated August 7, 2001, Hodge Jones & Allen, Solicitors, stated their willingness to pursue the case, but they got the name of the former president wrong.