Accra, Feb 10. GNA - Captain Kojo Tsikata (rtd), a former National Security Advisor, on Tuesday said he would welcome the re-opening of investigations into the abduction and murder of three High Court Judges and the retired Army Officer in 1982.
He, however, stated that any new enquiry must be fair and not politically motivated to unravel the truth, and added that the Special Investigation Board (SIB) that did the initial investigation implicated him for political reasons and to have him removed from office.
Captain Tsikata was responding to a suggestion from Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, a member of the Commission, whether he would support a fresh investigation into the murder of the four people, when he gave evidence before the Commission in Accra.
Captain Tsikata appeared at the Commission in response to two subpoenas from the Commission, both on the on a petition by Mrs Jemima Acquah, wife of Major Acquah, one of the four people murdered in 1982.
Mrs Acquah had presented documents to the Commission, which implicated Captain Tsikata in the abduction and murder of the four people in 1982. The Judges were, Mrs Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, Mr S.P Sarkodie and Mr A. K Agyepong. Major Sam Acquah (Rtd) was the army officer. They were abducted from their homes on June 30 1982, during curfew hours.
Their decomposing and almost charred bodies were found later in a military range at the outskirts of Accra.
Captain Tsikata, who served as the National Security Capo under the erstwhile Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and also for some time in the first term of the constitutionally elected National Democratic Congress (NDC), denied any link with the murders, stating that his complicity stated in the SIB report was a frame up.
He said he had lived with the pain for more than 20 years of that frame- up.
"I've lived with the pain of being falsely accused by the Special Investigation Board (SIB) of being the mastermind of the hideous crimes committed by Amartey Kwei and others on the night of 30th June 1982." He accused the SIB, chaired by Mr Justice Azu Crabbe, of turning the investigation into a political conspiracy, and to have him removed from office.
Witness said he was prepared to co-operate with the NRC, and asked the Commission to make available Mr Justice Azu Crabbe, Mr Linsday, the Rt Rev Dzobo, Mr Amui and Mr Johnny Hansen, who were panellists on the SIB so that he could confront them on his alleged frame-up. Captain Tsikata said his alleged complicity in murder was to make it possible for his removal from the government and pave the way for the overthrow of the PNDC.
He said Mr Amartey Kwei, executed for his lead role in the murder had mentioned him (Tsikata) on the prompting on Brigadier Nunoo Mensah, then Chief of Defence Staff.
He said then as member of government, it was not fair to challenge the SIB report in court, stating that it would seem as if he was coercing or manipulating the government to clear him.
He, however, spoke of taking court action against the Independent newspaper in London for publishing that report, for which they rendered an apology and with a settlement.
