The Daily Guide has learnt that the reported death of Gen. Robert Guei, a former military ruler in Cote d?Ivoire, has sent fear down the spines of his counterparts in the sub-region who are given to making pro-coup statements.
According to Daily Guide investigations, particularly upset is Flt-Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, former President of Ghana in view of the events in Cote d?Ivoire. His fears of a plot to assassinate him, according to Daily Guide?s sources cannot be divorced from the events in Cote d?Ivoire. This is because it was claimed by those close to the late General that he was by no means connected with the attempted coup in his country.
However, he was quickly gunned down together with his wife and family, in the confusion of last Thursday September 19. Revealing this to the Daily Guide last Friday, a source close to the former President who pleaded strict anonymity, told the paper that the shooting to death of Gen Guei and the subsequent ?wiping out? of his immediate family, was based on suspicion that he was behind the coup.
Meanwhile, the party chairman of Gen. Guei has described his death as unfortunate. According to him, he had spoken to Gen. Guei who had made it known to him that he knew nothing about what was happening concerning the mutiny of the 750 soldiers. The event also caused the death of the country?s Interior Minister and one of the country?s army Commanders.
While not dismissing the threats of an assassination plot on the former President, The Daily Guide was told that Rawlings fear was even more heightened when he learnt of the brutal death of the former Ivorian strongman, Gen. Guei.
This development according to The Daily Guide source confirmed Rawlings? alleged contention some years ago, that he would rather prefer to fight to the finish than to hand over power so as not to be later grabbed and slaughtered like a fowl. It would be recalled that Gen Guei was forced out of office by a people?s revolt before Laurent Gbagbo could declared himself President.
The source quoted an alleged advice given by president Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who it is said, at one time, advised Rawlings not to hand over power.
The source also referred to Rawlings? own fears when the country was to be transited to constitutional rule in 1992. The source alleged that Rawlings, the then chairman of the PNDC, who perhaps was haunted by the fate that befell coup plotters like Gen E.K. Kotoka, Arthur, Yeboah, Gen A.A. Afrifa, Mr Kutu Acheampong, Gen. F.W.K. Akuffo and others had told those who were persuading him to given in to multi-party democracy that, he did not want the politicians back because he did not trust them.
What?s pitiable, according to the source, is that Gen. Acheampong who staged a coup to overthrow the civilian government of Busia and had been forcibly retired from office was working on his farms, when he was picked up and executed by firing squad. ?Afrifa, who staged the first coup to overthrow a civilian administration in Ghana in (1966), had also retired. All the same, he was brought down from his Agona Mampong farms and also executed by firing squad. The fact that he had won a parliamentary seat, could not even grant him pardon or immunity.
He was dealt with just like all other previous coup makers. With all these as lessons, The Daily Guide source stressed that ?it?s not surprising that the man, Rawlings would panic and lose his sleep from now onwards.? The statesman newspaper reported in its front-page last Friday that, Mr Victor Smith, and Aide and Special Assistant to Rawlings had told the paper that the former President has received information of a plan to assassinate him. The paper reported that the former President suspects that the conspirators, who are said to have set camp in Togo, are also believed to be ?sympathizers? of the present government (NPP regime).
Furthermore, the paper reported that Mr Victor Smith claimed that the former President?s fears had heightened following the changes in his security arrangement the previous week. The change of the guards, according to Mr Smith, was made without the knowledge of the Former President.
