"Rawlings Tape is Authentic" - Journalist

The journalist who broke the news on the controversial "Rawlings Tape" says the tape is authentic, and he still stands by the story.

The former chief reporter of The Statesman newspaper which first carried a transcript of the tape, Mr. Ferdinand Ayim speaking on Joy FM said "I am prepared, as we called for from the first day, to testify before any individual Commission of Inquiry instituted to investigate this matter."

Mr. Ayim, who now works at the Office of the President, added that it is important that there will never again be such acts of vandalism, abuse of office and state sponsored terrorism.

He alleged that investigations conducted before the story was made public revealed that the female voice on the tape was a friend of Flt. Lt. Rawlings who was mentioned in the tape as "old man". He said the friend had an insight into the vicious act perpetrated by the former administration and "felt that enough was enough. So therefore she set up the gentleman (Albert) and recorded him to make it public."

In addition, he said the description of the man who checked in at the Ring Road Hotel before it was bombed fitted that of the Albert he met during the investigation.

Ferdinand Ayim said there was no point doubting their capability. "This was a system that had encouraged the likes of Amartey Kwei, Dzandu, Tekpor and others to abduct and cruelly murder High Court judges and an ex-army officer," he said.

The "Rawlings Tape" which made major headlines is a conversation between one Albert and a lady discussing the murder of a Catholic priest at the Winneba beach, the bombing of the Ring Road Hotel and a plot to destroy the house of Captain Kojo Tsikata. After the story was broken and aired on Joy FM some journalists and management of The Stateman and Joy were swiftly taken to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and Police headquarters for interrogation. This was followed by the establishment of the Nanfuri Committee on the orders of the NDC government to investigate the source of the tape.

The Editor of the Crusading Guide newspaper, Mr. Kweku Baako Jnr speaking on the same programme urged the present administration to ascertain whether the Nanfuri's Committee of Inquiry submitted a report to the authorities during the period. He said if there is a report, it should be made public to determine whether there is a case to move forward.

"Some of us went before the established Committee constituted by Mr. Rawlings and were bold enough to tell them right into their faces that these are the voices on the tape and these people are known to the 'old man' so you better move forward."

The Editor criticised the station for expelling the then Acting News Editor, Mawuko Zomelo for airing the tape without listening to the content.