Accra, Oct 2, GNA- Dr Matthew Tetteh, a Witness at the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), on Thursday said Naval Captain Baffour Assaase-Gyimah, should be asked to explain how he signed a statement on a Provisional National Defence Council letter-head in 1998.
Dr Tetteh said the PNDC had ceased to exist in 1998, and anyone who signed a letter from an office of the PNDC should be made to explain. Dr Tetteh was reacting to a question by one of the Commissioners, Ubor Dalafu Labal that a letter on the petitioner's file was signed by Baafour Asaase Gyimah from the Unibrik Co-ordinating Committee, from the office of the PNDC in 1998. Commissioner Labal asked Dr Tetteh why a letter should come from a Committee, which witness said it was dissolved at that time. Dr Tetteh, Executive Chairman of Unibrik System Limited said the Coordinating Committee, set at his request, on the orders of Flt Lt
Jerry Rawlings, ceased to function before that time but some people still paraded in the name of the committee. Dr Tetteh had earlier testified that the Unibrik Coordinating Committee was set up by government to look into the affairs of his brick and housing development company and to provide any needed help.
Dr Tetteh said it came out that the Committee rather wanted to take over the project from him. Unyielding to pressure, from the then government and some international concerns to disclose his formula, Dr Tetteh alleged that he experienced "death threats" from the government, so he finally left for Britain.
Witness said in one instance, a ship was sent to Ghana to collect the soil and machine for analysis at the New Castle University. His British bank account was frozen on the same day, but later de-frozen, he said. Dr Tetteh said Ugandan Government lured him to Rwanda through Uganda, to get him killed in the Rwandan genocide, but he ended up by staying for three years on a peninsula.
After 10 years of staying outside the country, Dr Tetteh said he came back to Ghana, and President J J Rawlings replied to his request to release his confiscated houses and asked him to contact Mr J L Amissah, the President's Secretary, who he said replied that his invention would only be recognised after 100 years.
Dr Tetteh said he had had discussions with President John Agyekum Kufour on the release of his housing units at Dansoman and Adenta, which he said, are being occupied by "unidentified people, without paying any rent for 19 years". Dr Tetteh named some of the personalities in the houses as Mr Peter Nanfuri, former Inspector General of Police; Naval Captain Baafour Assaase Gyimah, Mr Akrasi Sarpong, Mr George Agyekum, Mr E. G. Kwasivi, Alhaji Ousman, Lt Col B F Kusi, Mr Annor Kumi and E.B Danquah.
Some Commando personnel were also occupying the estates, he said, and added that no rent had been paid for the past 19 years. Dr Tetteh said at the moment he lives in rented premises. He added that 300 million dollar worth of chemicals, and another 608 drums of chemicals, two Mercedes Benz trucks, a Leyland truck, a locker with a new type of machine and a large quantity of building materials were left at the sites at the time of the confiscation.
He prayed the Commission for the release of his estates, and added that he was also claiming damages from the Government for stopping him from working. Dr Tetteh said he is now concentrating on his scientific research.
Mr Abu Mahamadu, another Witness told the Commission of how he was attacked by armed soldiers in 1982, in Tamale on the day Tamale Market got burnt. He said the soldiers, without any warrant, searched his house and without finding any incriminating thing, they grew furious that he had a television set and a fridge, remarking that he was a "Kalabule" man, and that he sold above Government controlled price to have acquired those items. Mr Mahamadu said they picked his wife, a teacher in the house his landlord and later drove to pick his a father in law and drove them to the Tamale Barracks.
Witness said the soldiers stopped on the way, shot him in the abdomen and left him to die in the bush. His wife who tried to intervene was also shot in the breast, and his father in law was later found dead on the street. Mr Mahamadu said a Lawyer Mumuni, and some colleagues took him to the Tamale General Hospital for treatment. Witness said he underwent surgery and was admitted for three months, and later sought treatment at the Police Hospital and Nyaho Clinic in Accra. He said from 1984 to 1992, he wore a catheter, and his wounded wife, who was also admitted in the Tamale Hospital later deserted him
After inspection in a private room, the Commission reported that Mr Mahamadu had scars above the spinal column abdomen, five scars on the groin and deep surgical scars of about 10 inches and other scars below the navel. His right eye also appeared to be damaged. Witness said he had one child in a previous marriage and has never had any since the incident.
The Commission expressed its sympathy to Mr Mahamadu, but suggested that at his age of 55, it was not too late to learn a skill to earn a living.
Another Witness Mr Joe Bradford Nyinah, a Journalist with Daily Graphic, confirmed investigating the supposed suicide of Mr Aidam, former Managing Director of the National Investment Bank, and said the Police detained him for about seven hours at the Cantonments Police Station, and his note pad seized on the orders of Mr David Walenkaki. Mr Nyinah said he obliged to stop with the investigations.
Hearing continues next Tuesday.
