Over 247 Ghanaians "Disappeared Into Thin Air" Under Rawlings…!” – Kweku Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul-Malik Kweku Baako has revealed that between the period of 1982 and 1984, some hundreds of Ghanaians went "missing" during John Jerry Rawlings' tenure as Head of State.

The seasoned journalist made this shocking disclosure on Peace FM’s flagship morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ on Wednesday, 17 October 2018 when discussing issues on the 1982 abduction and extrajudicial killings and assertions by the former president that if he was that bloodthirsty, the best opportunity to have silenced his critics was in 1979 when Ghanaians shouted let the blood flow.

Under his [Rawlings’] watch, if you don’t know let me tell you today, over 240 Ghanaians disappeared into thin air. One of them is B.B. Bismark. As we sit here, the family doesn’t know where the man disappeared to, and he wasn’t the only person – 247 Ghanaians got lost, they have families,” he said. 

A clearly incensed Kweku Baako further stated that “because Mr Rawlings was not prosecuted for overthrowing the People's National Party (PNP) government led by Dr Hilla Limann," he (Rawlings) is the "luckiest Ghanaian. He ought to cool down and keep quiet.

Genesis

Earlier this month, Multimedia aired a documentary dubbed “Who Killed The Judges?” on the chilling account of the murder of three High Court Judges and a retired army officer, which Mr Rawlings described as an attack on him.

The murder of Justices Cecelia Koranteng Addo, Kwadwo Adjei Agyepong, Poku Sarkodie and retired Major Acquah shook the foundation of the country and the judiciary in particular.

They were accused of being corrupt and bias having adjudicated on high profile cases involving the then military governments AFRC and PNDC all of which had Mr Rawlings as head.

An investigation conducted into the murders by a Special Investigative Bureau (SIB) found Amartei Quaye and others responsible.

Quaye and a few soldiers including Amedeka were to be shot by firing squad but Amedeka broke jail and has since remained a fugitive 36 years on.

The then national security advisor Captain Kojo Tsikata was also named in the investigative report as a “co-conspirator” in the murders but concluded that he, like Amartei Quaye, could not have succeeded in the killing if there was no authorization from a higher authority.

The only higher authority at the time was Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings who was then the head of state the report concluded.

He (Mr Rawlings) has not officially contested the findings of this report.

My Integrity Intimidates & Threatens Some People

But delivering the keynote address at the 2018 KNUST SRC organised TEKTALK event, the former military leader said these are calculated attempts by certain individuals who feel intimidated and threatened by his level of integrity.