Rawlings' Aide Dismiss Daily Guide Story

(Joy Online) -- The special aide to former President John Rawlings has dismissed reports that the ex-head-of-state has been summoned by a United States court to respond to questions concerning the execution of General Ignatius Kutu-Acheampong.

Victor Smith told a local radio station - Joy FM - that the report is a vindictive ploy by the ruling NPP government to discredit the former President.

The Daily Guide newspaper reports (see below) in its Monday edition that a United States court in Chicago has asked Mr. Rawlings to appear before it on October 16, failing which he faces charges of contempt.

According to the newspaper, the court subpoena was served on the Ghana Embassy in Washington D.C. for onward transmission to the former President. The newspaper speculated that the US court order, if true, could trigger ‘‘the opening of a Pandora box over his [Rawlings’] abysmal human rights records relating to the period of his two military regimes’’.

But the former President’s special aide said Mr. Rawlings has not received any summons. Mr. Smith said Mr Rawlings clashed with one Victoria, a daughter of Kutu-Acheampong. Kutu-Acheampong was one of former military leaders executed in 1979 by the Rawling-led Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).

Mr. Rawlings was a key speaker at the Christ Oasis Church in Chicago which marked the end of the Ghanafest 2006 festival organized by the Ghanaian community in Chicago.