NRC commends ex-Warrant Officer Nkwantabisa

Accra, Nov. 6, GNA - The National Reconciliation Commission on Thursday commended ex-Warrant Officer Class One, Yaw Nkwantabisa, former security Co-ordinator at the Tema harbour, for his co-operation with the Commission in its work.

Members of the Commission unanimously commended the ex-WO during his third appearance before them on Thursday to give his version of stories of human rights abuses in which he had been mentioned. In a spirit of reconciliation, Ex-WOI Nkwantabisa apologised and shook hands with Mr Edward Nkansah-Wadie, a Takoradi-based timber contractor for any wrong he must have done against him in 1982 when he (Mr Nkansah-Wadie) was working as a clearing agent at the Tema Ports. "I do sincerely apologise to Mr Nkansah-Wadie that I did not do my job properly," said the ex-WO.

As the two shook hands, Mr Nkansah-Wadie, who in his narration described WOI Nkwantabisa as "more or less a son-in-law."

"M'ase ne wo. Hwe me so yiye (You're my in-law. Take good care of me)," Mr Nkansah-Wadie declared to the admiration of the Commissioners. Most Rev Charles Palmer-Buckle, a Commissioner, could not hide his admiration to the reconciliatory exchanges, describing the scene as "beautiful."

Mr Nkansah-Wadie told the Commission that ex-WOI Nkwantabisa worked with some men of the then Committee for the Defence of the Revolution (CDR) and that they made him pay some money for what they described as rent after arresting his workers for underpaying duties on a container of goods from the Tema Port in May 1986.

Mr Nkansah Wadie said after collecting the said rent from him, the CDR men turned round to accuse him of bribing them and reported him to WOI Nkwantabisa, using the money as evidence.

He said the WO slapped him after which his men attacked and molested him.

"They tied my hands and hanged me, and my legs dangled in the air. They then beat me with the butts of their guns and later cut the rope and I fell down and was sent to the Port Clinic."

The Witness said he was brought back and locked in a cell ex-WOI Nkwantabisa had created in the port, and that there were about 40 detainees in in the cell at the time of his 30-days detention.

Witness said he miraculously escaped death during his detention when one of the CDR men secretly advised him not to get out in the night to take water that he had requested and that if he did, he would be taken out and shot.

Mr Nkansah-Wadie said prior to his appearance before the National Tribunal in Accra on the instructions of ex-WOI Nkwantabisa, instead of the Public Tribunal at Tema, he was often made to sit on top of the container in the blazing sun with other detainees.

Mr Nkansah-Wadie further alleged that ex-WOI Nkwantabisa influenced the trial, resulting in his 29 years' imprisonment for alleged bribery and tax evasion.

He said ex-WOI Nkwantabisa had earlier told him before he was sentenced that he would be jailed for 31 years and that two days after his imprisonment, ex-WOI Nkwantabisa was at the James Fort Prison and pronounced two additional years on him without any warrant.