Rawlings denies media allegations

Ex-President Jerry Rawlings has denied allegations in the media that he used or attempted to use a number of state facilities after his retirement.

"It appears that some sections of the media are determined to keep Flight Lieutenant Rawlings in the media spotlight and continue to castigate him for reasons best known to them," a statement from the office of the Ex-President said in Accra on Sunday.

They include an alleged visit to the Burma Camp to be allowed to fly an airforce jet.

It is also alleged that he took a two-hour cruise aboard the state executive yacht and requested for police dispatch riders to the funeral of the former president of the Methodist Conference, Rev. Jacob Stephens.

The Ex-president, the statement said, "has never visited the Airforce Station since he left office and has certainly never demanded to fly any Airforce jet."

It explained that rather, Flt. Lt. Rawlings wanted some "peace and quiet" and spent some time outside Accra aboard a Volta River Authority operated yacht, which remained anchored and never left the port.

"With regards to the visits he has paid to stables at the Burma Camp, it must be pointed out that for the past several years, he has bred horses as a hobby and has made them available to the stables. He has also helped in grooming the horses."

"Non-military personnel including members of the Diplomatic Corps also use the stables. The visit by Flt. Lt. Rawlings to the stables are therefore nothing extraordinary to warrant such banner headlines unless of course the publication is meant to serve other sinister purposes," it added.

The Ex-president is seeking legal advice on allegations by Mr Johnny Hansen, an Accra legal practitioner on a local FM station that he owns some houses in the United States.

"Ex-President Rawlings denies having any such property anywhere in the US - indeed, he does not own a brick, let alone a house, in any foreign country," it stated.