Who killed the judges: Don’t point fingers at Rawlings – Former driver

A former military driver of former President JJ Rawlings, Braimah Issaka, has jumped to the defence of his former boss saying that nobody can point fingers at him regarding the killing of three High Court judges, and a retired army officer.

According to him, Lance Corporal Samuel Amedeka was the one who pulled the trigger and killed the victims at the shooting range.

Narrating the sequence of the event as it happened on that day in an interview with Kofi Adomah Nwanwanii of ‘KOFI TV’, Braimah Issaka, who was not part of the operation stated emphatically that the soldiers led by Lance Corporal Samuel Amedeka poured a jerry can of petrol on the victims with the aim of burning them to ashes.

“Immediately they lighted the fire, they begun to leave the scene but on their way, Tekpor turned to look back then he saw Justice Cecelia Koranteng coming towards them with his arms wide open,” he said.

“Tekpor asked Amedeka I thought you said you have killed them so we should burn them to ashes, why is the woman following us? Amedeka quickly turned back and fired her with the gun he was holding,” Braimah Issaka added.

Braimah Issaka stated that those who went to the shooting range after the event first saw the body of Justice Cecelia Koranteng before the bodies of Kwadwo Adjei Agyepong, Poku Sarkodie and Major Sam Acquah.

"The woman’s body was separate from the other three."

“This is what Tekpor told me and Amedeka confirmed it.”

Braimah Issaka reiterated that when he asked who commissioned the operation, Lance Corporal Samuel Amedeka sincerely told him that Joachim Amartey Kwei ordered that they kill the three judges and the military officer.

“If you ask Tekpor he will tell you that Amedeka told them that it is Amartey Kwei,” he stressed.

Braimah Issaka, however, noted that “nobody mentioned the name of Ex-President Rawlings.”

He said when Amartey Kwei was about to the executed he was asked if Former President Rawlings was involved and he said no.

“It is only Lance Corporal Samuel Amedeka who knows those involved in killing the judges and he (Amedeka) did not take any instruction from JJ Rawlings. Nobody can point finger at him,” he emphasized.



Background

On June 30, 1982, three High Court judges, Justice Cecelia Koranteng Addo, Kwadwo Adjei Agyepong, Poku Sarkodie and a retired army officer, Major Sam Acquah were abducted within curfew hours, shot and burnt by ruthless, lawless men including young soldiers over claims they were corrupt.

The judges had adjudicated high profile cases involving the then military government and had freed suspects who were brought before them.

They were abducted and murdered ostensibly because they were deemed to be bias and corrupt.

The murder shook the nation prompting the arrest of some of the suspects who were tried and found guilty. Joachim Amartey Kwei, Lance Corporal Samuel Michael Senyah, ex-soldier Johnny Dzandu, Tony Tekpor, Lance Corporal Gordon Kwowu, Lance Corporal Mama Nsurowua, Lance Corporal Victor Gomeleshio, Sgt. Daniel Alolga Akata Pore were all named.

Some of the suspects were shot after they were found guilty but Amedeka escaped and has since not returned to Ghana.