A founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has disputed claims that former President Jerry John Rawlings died from COVID-19.
He has, thereby, outlined reasons he believes point to a different cause of death.
Speaking exclusively with GhanaWeb’s Etsey Atisu on The Lowdown, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said information available to him contradicts the widely held belief that Rawlings died of the virus.
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He explained that checks he made, including with a relative of the late former president, suggested otherwise, noting that JJ Rawlings allegedly tested negative for COVID-19 on two occasions.
“Firstly, the impression we were given as a public was that Rawlings died of COVID-19. I cross-checked it with my own cousin, his own cousin too, Michael Sousoudis, may he rest in peace, and it was a lie. He had two tests and they came out negative as I have stated in the book. That’s point number one,” he said.
He further argued that given Rawlings’ stature as a former head of state, an autopsy should have been conducted to determine the exact cause of his death.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe questioned why no such report has been made public, stressing that procedures such as chemical pathology could provide clear answers if they were carried out.
“A man of Rawlings’ caliber and level, a former president, cannot die without an autopsy being done and I have said if an autopsy had been done, they should bring it out. It’s getting to one year now and nobody has come forward.
“The autopsy can tell us exactly what killed Jerry John Rawlings especially if they do what we call chemical pathology. All these things, if they have done them they should come forward,” he dared.
The former diplomat also raised concerns about events that reportedly took place at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital around the time of Jerry John Rawlings’ death.
According to him, information he received indicated that some nurses who attended to the former president allegedly disappeared shortly after his passing and were reportedly taken out of the country.
He called on these nurses to come forward if they are available.
“Thirdly, from what I was told by my cousin Michael Sousoudis, may he rest in peace, five nurses who were looking after Jerry John Rawlings at Korle Bu, the moment he passed on, they all disappeared. They were taken out of the country. The nurses disappeared. If the nurses are around they should come forward,” he stated.
In addition, he made claims involving two military officers whom he said he knows personally.
While withholding their identities, he alleged that the officers reportedly met shortly after Rawlings’ death and made remarks suggesting a completed mission.
He said these concerns have informed his call for a full investigation.
“Fourth, there were two military officers. I know them personally. They know me too, as I’ve stated in the book. Two captains, but for a lot of reasons, I’m holding the names for the meantime because I have asked the government to set up an independent commission of inquiry to find out what really killed Rawlings. The captains met just after his death and they shook hands and said mission accomplished. It’s a military term and that means a lot. Have they come out?” he asked.
Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, therefore, urged the government to establish an independent commission of inquiry to determine the true cause of Rawlings’ death.
He maintained that the circumstances surrounding the former president’s passing raise serious questions that must be addressed.
He added that despite the public nature of his claims, there has been no official response so far, although he has received private feedback from some prominent individuals commending him for speaking out.
“There have been no responses so far, and I’m sure they are aware because this book was reviewed on television. The only thing I’ll say is that I have had a few calls from some prominent people in this country thanking me for having had the courage to come out with that,” he disclosed.
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Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe insisted that, in his view, Rawlings did not die from COVID-19, expressing confidence that the truth about the former president’s death will eventually come to light.
“Rawlings to me didn’t die from COVID. He didn’t die from COVID. Who planned and had Rawlings eliminated, one day will come out because if this is not a planned thing, you ask yourself, why should I be connected with it? Well, if people got to know earlier that I was part of it, they might probably calm their tempers down. That is the whole thing,” he assured.
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