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Former President Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings has threatened to deal with Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, a leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Rawlings Squeezes Bede Ziedeng's Testicles

Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi is quoted as saying that Mr. Rawlings meted out a dangerous attack on a former member of the NDC Elections Committee named Bede Ziedeng.

Prof. Ahwoi is said to have narrated in a book he's written that Bede Ziedeng was met with aggression by Mr. Rawlings for opposing the election of the late President John Evans Atta Mills as flagbearer of the party during the party's Congress in 2002.

He said the former President loved Atta Mills that he squeezed the testicles of Bede Ziedeng during the Congress that was held at Trade Fair in Accra to the point that Mr. Ziedeng nearly died due to the vicious attack.

According to a Ghanaweb publication, Prof. Ahwoi said ''Bede Ziedeng and others had formed a human shield to protect dignitaries going into the Trade Fair Site. As Rawlings was going in, the crowd moved closer to see him and cheer him on. This made it nearly impossible to see whatever was going on. So Rawlings took advantage of the situation. He held Bede Ziedeng’s testicles, squeezed them hard and left them in record time. This caused Bede Ziedeng to faint immediately. He was taken away and given attention until he recovered. An unperturbed Rawlings accessed the hall and the proceedings went on. Mr Ziedeng later reported Rawlings to some leading members of the NDC, including Prof Ahwoi. When Rawlings was confronted on the matter, he merely laughed it off. But the incident nearly led to Mr Ziedeng leaving the party for good''. 

Rawlings' Crimes Protected By 1992 Constitution

In a publication by Ghanaian Times, Prof. Ahwoi, who was a Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in the PNDC regime, is also quoted as saying the indemnity clause in Ghana's constitution was to protect Rawlings from being prosecuted for his crimes.

“When soldiers stage coup d’état, they know they have committed the crime of treason for which punishment is death, if you want those people to hand over smoothly, you’d have to give them guarantees they’ll not be molested, vilified, not even tried and maybe sentenced to death.

“If they should hand over, because they will not accept to commit suicide, which is what they’d be doing if they simply say okay we’re handing over so anytime a coup has taken place in any country, negotiations take place for guarantees of indemnity and immunity provided coup makers, that is the only way they will feel comfortable enough to agree to hand over.

“What most critics of indemnity clause do not understand is, not only does indemnity clause serve as surety to former President Rawlings; it protects all those who worked with him during those regimes...'', he stated.

I'll Deal With Ahwoi

But in a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com, former President Rawlings expressed his disgust over the account given by Prof. Ahwoi.

According to him, he will ''soon deal with the callous agenda of bile by the likes of Kwamena Ahwoi, who are desperately seeking control of the NDC party''.

He said this while commending Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for refusing to condone wrongdoings of his Chiefs and also ensuring there is no stain on the Ashanti Kingdom.

Read full statement below:


OTUMFUO DESERVES COMMENDATION

I want to take the opportunity to congratulate the Asantehene for the steps he has taken, to seriously protect the environment and also to thank him for tampering justice with mercy on Nana Bantamahene. 

We each have to learn to take a cue from the Asantehene and be bold and audacious in our defence of the environment, especially from thieves and crooks, who with impunity can collect parcels of land anywhere, anyhow and do as they wish against the public good and the sanctity of nature.

Let me also express my gratitude to Togbe Afede XIV, President of the National House of Chiefs for taking the initiative to lead a delegation of the Volta Region House of Chiefs to the border areas in the region to ascertain things for themselves. Some of the unsightly things we see on the Internet do not speak well of us locally and internationally.

Much as I find it tiring and tedious to be engaging in self defence when I have given my all, all these years, I will soon deal with the callous agenda of bile by the likes of Kwamena Ahwoi, who are desperately seeking control of the NDC party. The NDC could, should and has survived on the authority of the word but if care is not taken, it will collapse and drown as has been happening, on the word of those in authority.

Issued By:


Kobina Andoh Amoakwa
(Communications Directorate)