Akufo-Addo’s Security Boss Brags

About His Jailbreak & Hides Behind JJ Rawlings After Fending Sickness In BNI Cells

The 69-year old head of security for the flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, Captain (rtd) Edmund Kojo Koda, has brushed aside accusation by government that, he once broke jail during Chairman Flt. Lt. J.J Rawlings’ Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC) regime.

Captain Koda, who acts as a bodyguard to the 72-year old Nana Akufo-Addo, hours after getting released from the cells of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) on the grounds of ill health, dared the state security apparatus to play audio recordings of his interrogation on the three extradited South African mercenaries.

He claimed, he never admitted to wrongfully inviting the three foreigners into Ghana, and getting them to train 15 NPP activists in military combat drills, weapon handling and others things under the cover of the two private security companies, without the express permission of the Ministry of Interior as by law required.

Although, Captain Koda, spent years in exile throughout the 11 years of the government of Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) led by Jerry Rawlings, as well as his two terms under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nana Addo’s bodyguard, further claimed that ahead of his unlawful jailbreak in 1979, Mr. Rawlings, had demanded his unconditional release over acts committed in the name of the Pre-Trial Investigations Team (PIT).

PIT was a deadly terror squad, which operated under the AFRC Military junta days, headed by Mr. Rawlings, whose operation have been widely condemned by the Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Malik Kweku Baako, and NPP Founding Member, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe in the past.

Indeed, Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe’s book “Never Say Die”; an Autobiography of a Ghanaian Statesman”, vividly documented the cruel tactics of Captain Koda’s PIT. The ex-Captain was a key witness at the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) under the Kufuor regime, which heard cruel acts committed by the AFRC, the PNDC, and others starting in the First Republic led by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

The ex-Army Captain, whose lawyer, Nana Asante Bediatuo, had told Citi News that, he was critically ill in the cells of the BNI, was speaking to a press statement issued in his name on Peace FM.

He did not sound like a man who needed urgent medical attention as suggested by his lawyer and other NPP folks, who demonstrated at the party’s headquarters, saying he was dying.

An extract from the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper dated Wednesday, November 14, 1979 edition, reports of a jail break at the Ussher Fort Prison in Accra, involving two heavily armed men, who succeeded in releasing Captain Koda, and four other prisoners from a lawful custody.

The story, which came with a screaming headline “Ussher Fort Raided” mentioned the five as Captain E.K Koda, Captain Victor Okai Koi, Staff Sergeant Monney, Sergeant Quartey and Sergeant Asmah, who were convicted by the “People’s Court” of the erstwhile Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC) for corruption. They were all involved in PIT.

They had violently pointed a gun at an officer; Lance Corporal Allotey on guard duty at Prison gate. They freed the five convicts driving on top speed amid the firing of gun shots towards Bukom Square in Accra. They came back to Ghana years later from exile to join the NPP with Captain Victor Okai Koi vying for the Odododiodoo Parliamentary seat, despite protest from Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe.

Last Monday, March 28, 2016, the Interior Ministry released a 14 point statement on the operations of the three South Africans, Captain Koda, and Captain Acquah, whose hotel, El Capitano in the Agona Duakwa in the Central Region, where the three South Africa were based training the NPP activists until their arrest.

The security apparatus suspected that the three – Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (Rtd.), WO/Denver Dwayhe Naidu (Rtd.) and Captain Mlungiseleli Jokani (Rtd.) – were engaged in acts that could destabilize the country.

They were extradited on Tuesday, March 29, to forestall any potential security risk they pose to the country.

But the retired army officer’s lawyer, Nana Asante Bediatuo, in what looked like an attempt to mock the Interior Minister, Prosper Bani and the Mahama-led government, in a statement signed by his lawyer, beats his chest saying, “Yes, Captain Edmund Koda was involved in the uprising of June 4, 1979, which brought the AFRC regime into power”.

“He was a member of the Pre-Trial Investigation Team (PIT). He and other members of the team were accused of having embezzled funds and were tried twice on the same charges by the ‘People’s Court’.

On both occasions, Captain Koda, was acquitted and discharged. He was, however, imprisoned in the Ussher Fort prison. Indeed, the Chairman of the AFRC, Flt. Lt. J.J Rawlings, demanded their release in November 1979, a request which was refused by the Liman government.

Captain Koda, and his other colleagues, eventually broke jail and sought political asylum in the United Kingdom (UK). The Francois Commission, headed by Appeal Court Judge, Justice Francois, was set up to investigate the jail break”.

Government had said among others things that, Capt Koda’s arrest last week, came on the heels of previous security alert in 2014, after his name popped up in a National Security investigation of the activities of some Serbian nationals, who were brought into the country to train selected people drawn from across the country in the art of civil insurrection. A training dubbed “Assaulting the pillars of power”.

But the response by Capt Koda’s lawyer, which attempted to answer some of the issues raised earlier described as “curious”, effort by the government to now find fault with the embattled retired officer after his release by the same BNI last Monday when indeed they had credible evidence, they could have charged him with any of the so called crimes he is being accused of.

Asante Bediatuo in his statement, wondered why his client, who has been walking and touring the length and breadth of the country with Nana Addo, has not been arrested over claims by the Interior Minister that he brought some Serbians into Ghana in 2014 on an operation dubbed “Assaulting The Pillars Of Power” saying “this is the most ludicrous of all the statements made by the Interior Minister”.

For the avoidance of doubt, Captain Koda, did not meet any Serbian in 2014 or any other time, let alone engage the services of Serbian nationals, or any other persons, to train Ghanaians in the art of “civil insurrection”, which is a treasonable offence.

The only Serbian Captain Koda knows is the former coach of the Black Stars. Is it not curious that Captain Koda, since 2014, has been walking a free man and has not been invited for questioning by National Security or the BNI on this serious charge?

Meanwhile, NPP insiders, have said Captain Koda, have been penciled down by Nana Addo as his National Security Coordinator, in the unlikely event that the thrice flagbearer of the NPP, wins the November 7 presidential and parliamentary polls.

More To Come!