The Chief of Staff (COS) said she was at the 37 Military Hospital. She explained that President Stephen Marfo had not been feeling well the previous day so they called his doctors, Dr. Odame and Dr. Inusah who came to examine him and afterwards decided he needs urgent medical attention. As a result, we took him to the 37 Military and admitted.
“Based on the advice of his doctors, he directed me to convene an emergency meeting right now. It would take place at his bed side”, the COS said.
“Okay, I am coming there right away,” the Vice-President replied. Then he told Lt. Clottey to accompany him to the hospital. Turning to the two National Security Operatives, Ampiah and Baba, the Vice-President told them to call the police to come over for the body of Cpl. Attinka, who was still lying, lifelessly on the ground in a pool of blood.
A small group of workers at the Presidency had gathered at the spot, curious to know what had happened. They heard the shot when Lt. Clottey fired. As a result, they dashed to the scene only to find the corpse of Cpl. Attinka on the floor with the Vice-President and others standing by. More and more workers at the Presidency began to come around as the news of the death of the Corporal spread throughout the Presidency like wildfire.
Nana Ampiah and Baba did not volunteer any information to those coming around. For them, the matter for which they had been privy to within the past one hour was too weighty to leak to the press. Therefore, acting on the Vice President’s orders, they phoned the Central police station and simply told them a soldier had sustained gun wound and is dead at the Presidency; the services of the police are necessary immediately to investigate.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Gertrude Mensah and Lt. Clottey were already on their way to the 37 Military hospital with the latter behind the steer.
“I need to tell the President about the plot to assassinate me and the attempts so far,” the Vice-President said. This time, Lt. Clottey decided not to offer a contrary view. He had decided, as they headed towards the Military Hospital, that while they may not have enough or any evidence to cause the arrest of Rex Yamoah, the President becoming privy to the plot might deter him from carrying out his plans.
“Well, I have had a change of mind so I agree with you. You need to brief him even at the hospital if you get the chance to do so,” Lt. Clottey said. The Vice-President smiled, happy that Lt. Clottey was now on the same page with her as far as briefing the President of the attempts on her life was concerned.
Finally, they arrived at the hospital. Lt. Clottey drove through the gates and stopped in front of the entrance to the Outpatients Department. Vice-President Gertrude Mensah got down and told him to go park the car; she would be waiting for him so they went in together. The soldier nodded and then drove to the parking lot of the hospital where he found space. Quickly, he found the vehicle parked and getting down, headed for the entrance of the hospital where the Vice-President was waiting. When he was just a few metres away from her, he stopped; standing by the Vice-President were the Inspector General of Police Richard Vigah, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Musah Sugri, the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Kwesi Benson, the Chief Justice Abraham Nartey Nuertey as well as the Majority Leader in parliament, Hon Odartey Odai. They were all standing by the Vice-President at the entrance. They had each arrived to meet the Chief of Staff and the National Security Coordinator waiting for them at the gate. The last to have arrived was the Vice-President. Lt. Clottey, deciding this was not his crowd, stopped and retreated. He was surprised that there were no security men around. After a while, he saw the Vice-President walking towards him. He hurried to meet her.