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General News of Monday, 20 October 2003

Source: Daily Guide

Rawlings reveals why he killed 3 presidents

Accra, 20 Oct.,Daily Guide - Ex-President Rawlings, has made public why he executed his three predecessors, in a sensational event, which shook the world.

In an interview with "the Sun", a Nigerian news magazine in Abuja, Nigeria, Rawlings disclosed that "we had no choice". Generals Acheampong, Afrifa and Akufo were summarily executed in 1979 after the then Flt Lt. J. J. Rawlings shot into power from prison, the paper reports.

Over 20 years after that bloody episode, Rawlings says even though "that was a regrettable situation, he had no choice". if we hadn't done it (shot the ex-heads of state), there would have been outrage against me, outrage against all of us. I am not too sure many (of our) officers would have survived. I am not too sure many civilians would have survived".

He added, "the level of anger in the country was demanding blood". The ex-President also spoke on the current political situation in Ghana, saying that incumbent President Kufuor was gunning for his head, and doing everything in the world to tarnish his name and integrity.

"I would have wished that the incumbent government will give me the peace of mind to rest and put my memoirs together" he lamented. "That is, if they (Kufuor's government), will allow me to live long enough to write my memoirs".

He accused his successor of incompetence and performing below expectation, while also launching a campaign of calumny against the Rawlings' Administration.