Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has revealed more information that adds to the puzzle about how three High Court judges and an ex-soldier, were abducted and murdered in cold blood some 36 years ago.
The veteran journalist who was a prisoner at the Koforidua Prisons at the time, revealed that he was prison mate with L/Cpl Samuel Amedeka, one of the soldiers involved in the murder of the judges.
However, Mr Baako noted that Amedeka was not on arrest for his involvement in the murder of the judges but rather for his involvement in a coup attempt against the Jerry Rawlings-led Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
Read: Who killed the judges: Amedeka was brought into prison as mad man
“By July 2, 1982 [two days after the abductions] Chairman Rawlings was aware of those involved in the murder because Amartey Kwei [member of the PNDC] walked into a meeting at the Gonda Barracks and when he was asked the whereabouts of the judges he replied ‘we have finished them’,” Mr Baako said.
Mr Baako is however, unable to understand how Mr Rawlings was aware of Amartey Kwei’s involvement in the crimes and still allowed him to serve in his military government until his resignation in late August that year.
L/Cpl Amedeka who was also involved in the killings was still walking free until his arrest in August, not for the killings but for his involvement in a coup attempt against Rawlings, something Kweku Baako is unable to understand.
Another missing link in getting to the bottom of the killings that Mr Baako highlighted, is the missing recording that purportedly indemnifies Mr Rawlings and his National Security Advisor, Kojo Tsikata, from the killings.
Rawlings went to the execution ground of Amartey Kwei and got “confession” from him before he was executed for the killings but said the recording cannot be traced. A different recording got from Amartey Kwei in prison cannot also be traced, all these untenable, Mr Baako said.
Another aspect of those punished for the killings Mr Baako raised red flags on, was that the “young boys” had nothing against the judges.
What can be linked to their killing was that all three had reviewed cases of the Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC) – which was a military regime led by Mr Rawlings before he handed over to a constitutional government before overthrowing same and formed the PNDC.
Also, Amartey Kwei who was a member of the PNDC was a worker at Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC) but was dismissed for an industrial action. Major Sam Acquah (Retired) who was boss at GIHOC was murdered alongside the judges.
Lauding the Joy News documentary ‘Who Killed the Judges,’ Mr Baako noted that the recount of history is important because “…there’s a need to continue the search for the truth, the whole truth, in spite of the NRC proceeding”.
“When you have the recordings [from Rawlings] missing, that should tell you the story has not ended”.
Justices Kwadwo Adjei Agyepong, Poku Sarkodie and Mrs Cecelia Koranteng-Addow and a retired Major in the Ghana Armed Forces, were abducted and shot dead, their bodies set on fire but saved from a downpour on the night of June 30, 1982.
Amartey Kwei, Tony Tekpor, Dzandzu and Helki were all found guilty of murder, sentenced to death and executed by firing squad. Amedeka escaped prisons and hasn’t been seen since.