I plotted with Boakye-Djan, others to get rid of Rawlings - Braimah Issaka

A former driver of Jerry John Rawlings has revealed that he planned with Major Kojo Boakye-Djan, the late J.H. Mensah and other soldiers to overthrow the former president during the revolution era.

According to Braimah Issaka, the plan was hatched in Togo after most of them had escaped prison and fled into exile.

Narrating this to Kofi Adomah on Kofi TV, Issaka said the soldiers were angry with Rawlings for getting them arrested during the revolution.

“We were pained by what he did to us and we felt that if we have helped you to attain power we can take it from you,” he noted.

He said Major Boakye-Djan was studying in Britain when the 1981 31st December revolution took place and as such had to remain in exile.

He added that upon going into exile in Togo, the soldiers linked up with Boakye-Djan because they wanted a way to return to Ghana.

He further noted that during the period they were plotting the overthrow, J.H. Mensah was imprisoned in the United States of America where he had gone to acquire arms for them.

“He wanted to get guns for us to bring to Ghana but they said the guns didn’t have a bill of lading so he was arrested in America…He was so dedicated to Ghana that whatever means he thought will bring democracy, he was fighting for it,” he added.

Braimah Issaka, however, noted that the plot was abolished when they realized they won’t succeed.

“We realized that we were so divided even in Togo and with that division, it wasn’t possible to go to Ghana.”

He said many of the soldiers died when their groups attempted to carry out the plot on their own due to the division.

Braimah Issaka and other soldiers were arrested during the time of the revolution, shortly after the murder of three judges and a former army officer.

They, however, escaped from prison and left the shores of Ghana to neighbouring countries for refuge.

He said, even though about 200 soldiers escaped from prison, many lost their lives whilst trying to leave the country adding that those who made it to Togo were about 35.