Former President Jerry John Rawlings has once again stressed his innocence in the killing of three high court judges and a retired military officer in 1982 during his PNDC regime.
On 30 June 1982, the judges – Justices Kwadwo Adjei Agyepong, Poku Sarkodie and Mrs. Cecelia Koranteng-Addow – and a retired Major in the Ghana Armed Forces, were abducted and murdered.
In a recent interview with Kwaku Sakyi-Addo on Asaase Radio, the ex-military personnel stated that he believes ‘somebody in uniform’ ordered soldiers to kill the four.
“I believe somebody in uniform must have given that order to the soldiers to do what they did”, he said.
The PNDC set up the Special Investigation Board (SIB) headed by former Chief Justice Mr Justice Azu Crabbe, to unravel the mystery.
Capt. Kojo Tsikata, PNDC member in charge of National Security, Joachim Amartey Kwei as well as Lance Corporal Amedeka, Tony Tekpor and Dzandu, all soldiers, were found culpable of the crime.
However, Rawlings believes that Amartey Kwei could in no way have ordered the soldiers to execute the judges and retired military officer.
“If there is one thing I feel pretty sad about, is that Amartey Kwei had to be saddled with it all….Because they (soldiers) wouldn’t have obeyed Amartey Kwei’s orders to do that as a civilian”, he added.
Tony Tekpor, Dzandu and Hekli, as well as ex-PNDC member Amartey Kwei, were executed by firing squad.
Rawlings signed their death warrants but states that his conviction that Amartey Kwei didn’t give the orders doesn’t mean ‘he didn’t deserve to die’
