A former journalist at The Ghanaian Chronicle Newspaper says the claim by former President Jerry John Rawlings that he was gifted only $2 million by late Nigeria President Sani Abacha is entirely not true.
William Nyarko says the information he gathered in 1998 during the period of the controversy, indicated Mr Rawlings received the $5 million in full.
One Gwarzo who was sent to deliver the money insists he gave the former Ghanaian leader $5 million.
Mr Nyarko disclosed this on Accra-based Citi FM when he was reacting to an interview former President Rawlings granted to a Nigeria’s Guardian Newspaper.
Former President Rawlings came under severe pressure following reports that he had received $5 million from the then Nigerian President in 1998 – an allegation he denied fiercely.
Government functionaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) then put up strong defence saying he did not receive more than he had put out. An argument the minority disputed.
Speaking to the Guardian Newspaper, Mr Rawlings insisted he was given a suitcase with only $2 million by Gwarzo, one of Mr Abacha’s right hand men.
“It shocked me a bit that such a fine respectable man could make such a claim. The amount he mentioned shocked me that he could tell such a lie,” Rawlings told the newspaper.
Mr Nyarko who was at the forefront of the scandal could not believe the former President would still hold onto his version of the story despite reports to the contrary.
But Mr Rawlings, he said deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt over the matter, arguing, “because you and I weren’t there.”
-myjoyonline