NPP Wanted To Assassinate Me In 2008 - Ex-Prez Rawlings

The former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has alleged that a serving officer in the Ghana Army was contracted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to assassinate him in the run up to the 2008 elections. The current head of Human Security Department of the National Security Office, Brig. General Nunoo-Mensah and the Navy commander at the time (who he did not name) were also set for the hit allegedly engineered by elements within the government of the time. The unnamed soldier, Rawlings claimed, was arrested by some officers of the army who knew of and disagreed with the intention. “A soldier was given a gun for him to kill me, General Nunoo Mensah and a Navy commander during the 2008 campaign time but the soldier who had been given the weapon to undertake such a heinous crime was arrested by his fellow soldiers …,” he told mourners at the funeral of the late Kwawumanhene in the Eastern Region. The late Daasebre Akuamoah-Boateng passed away in 2013 and the royal farewell ceremonies began last Monday. Speaking at the farewell ceremony as an invited mourner, Rawlings said the unnamed soldier was placed in a guard room at the barracks upon his arrest with the intention of investigating his case after the 2008 elections. However, the late President, John Mills did not investigate the case because of his [Mills’] principle that he did not want to go after anyone for the sake of peace. “…But I ask, if you will not investigate anything at all, what about an assassination attempt on my life..,? he asked rhetorically. Obviously not happy with the decision of the late Mills, Mr. Rawlings said, he is anxiously waiting on the current President, John Mahama to cause investigation into the attempted assassination on his life. “And now that our brother from Tamale is on the seat, I am anxiously waiting to see if he would investigate the case…I am waiting, I repeat, I am waiting…,” he said repeatedly. The alleged assassination attempt on his life and two others is not the only case Rawlings wants investigated; the death of the overlord of Dagbon, Yana Abudu Andani is also a priority. According to the former military leader, two of the known killers of the paramount chief upon their arrest faked madness and hence were freed from jail. He thus implored the people of Tamale to put pressure on 'our own brother from Tamale’ to cause investigations into why his ‘own chief was killed in cold blood’. “Without justice, our determination to enjoy freedom and practice democracy would be in vain…we see the importance of the preservation of human lives,” he said.

Source: Maame Yaa Titi