Quickly, he started walking towards the little girl. He guessed her age to be about eight, the same age as the little girl into whose hands a bouquet of flowers with a bomb hidden in it was placed after which the bomb went off snuffing life out of her.
“Can I have a look at it?” he said when he got to her. Then he leaned forward and took the flowers from the girl. He expected the bomb to blast when he did so but nothing happened. He realized he was trembling as he parted the flowers, looking for any explosive hidden in it. He found none. He heaved a sigh of relief as he handed the flowers back to the little girl. Then he stepped aside to allow her to continue towards the plane. The woman escorting her smiled at Lt. Clottey as she moved on with the child.
The little girl got to the plane as the Russian Prime Minister came down the stairs. The child held up the flowers for him. He took it, smiling. Then he parted her on the head before handing over the flower to a man standing behind him. Acting President Gertrude Mensah stepped forward to welcome her guest. The two shook hands warmly amidst smiles. The journalist who had been behind the security condone had also been allowed to come close to the plane. Now, standing only a few feet away from the Russian Prime Minister and the Acting Ghanaian President, they got busy, capturing the two with their cameras.
“Welcome, sir” the Acting President said.
“Thank you, Madam. This is my first time in Africa and Ghana. I hope to enjoy my stay in your country. I like the sunshine” the Medved replied. He spoke passable English.
Indeed, the sun was blazing hotly far above. But that was not the concern of anybody at the airport. What was of importance was the visitor. With the pleasantries over, the Prime Minister was led to where the school children were. They waved the Russian and Ghanaian flags excitedly as he approached them. He spent about three minutes interacting with them before finally leaving to join his host on a raised platform for the national anthem of the two countries to be played
The army band which stood to their right began to play the Ghana National anthem. The Russian national anthem was played first. When it ended, the band switched to the national anthem of Ghana. Standing behind the Prime Minister and the Acting President, Lt. Clottey scanned wherever his eyes could reach. Despite the fact that he was sure Rex Yamoah would not try anything in such an environment, he was not taking chances. To his right, very far away, he saw the hand of a shaft move slowly. He found it queer. All workers at the airport had been asked to take the day off. So, who could be working at this time of all times, operating a crane. Again, his instincts kept beeping, alerting him there was danger in the air. Quickly, he turned and began to walk briskly towards the exit out of the tarmac. Alarm bells began to ring in his head. The band had finished playing the national anthems. Lt. Clottey turned and saw the Vice-President staring after him. He signalled her that he will be back in a jiffy.
He went through the exit and then broke into a run. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him through the departure lounge. He then exited through another door. He was now outside the building. He continued to his right, heading for where he saw the crane.
Seconds later, he got there. A huge crane stood behind the new terminal that was being built. Quickly, he entered the uncompleted building and took the stairs, sprinting up to the first floor and then the second floor. Finally, he got to the third and final floor. Immediately, he saw the assassin!
Quickly, he started walking towards the little girl. He guessed her age to be about eight, the same age as the little girl into whose hands a bouquet of flowers with a bomb hidden in it was placed after which the bomb went off snuffing life out of her.
“Can I have a look at it?” he said when he got to her. Then he leaned forward and took the flowers from the girl. He expected the bomb to blast when he did so but nothing happened. He realized he was trembling as he parted the flowers, looking for any explosive hidden in it. He found none. He heaved a sigh of relief as he handed the flowers back to the little girl. Then he stepped aside to allow her to continue towards the plane. The woman escorting her smiled at Lt. Clottey as she moved on with the child.
The little girl got to the plane as the Russian Prime Minister came down the stairs. The child held up the flowers for him. He took it, smiling. Then he parted her on the head before handing over the flower to a man standing behind him. Acting President Gertrude Mensah stepped forward to welcome her guest. The two shook hands warmly amidst smiles. The journalist who had been behind the security condone had also been allowed to come close to the plane. Now, standing only a few feet away from the Russian Prime Minister and the Acting Ghanaian President, they got busy, capturing the two with their cameras.
“Welcome, sir,” the Acting President said.
“Thank you, Madam. This is my first time in Africa and Ghana. I hope to enjoy my stay in your country. I like the sunshine, " Medved replied. He spoke passable English.
Indeed, the sun was blazing hotly far above. But that was not the concern of anybody at the airport. What was of importance was the visitor. With the pleasantries over, the Prime Minister was led to where the school children were. They waved the Russian and Ghanaian flags excitedly as he approached them. He spent about three minutes interacting with them before finally leaving to join his host on a raised platform for the national anthem of the two countries to be played
The army band which stood to their right began to play the Ghana National anthem. The Russian national anthem was played first. When it ended, the band switched to the national anthem of Ghana. Standing behind the Prime Minister and the Acting President, Lt. Clottey scanned wherever his eyes could reach. Despite the fact that he was sure Rex Yamoah would not try anything in such an environment, he was not taking chances. To his right, very far away, he saw the hand of a shaft move slowly. He found it queer. All workers at the airport had been asked to take the day off. So, who could be working at this time of all times, operating a crane. Again, his instincts kept beeping, alerting him there was danger in the air. Quickly, he turned and began to walk briskly towards the exit out of the tarmac. Alarm bells began to ring in his head. The band had finished playing the national anthems. Lt. Clottey turned and saw the Vice-President staring after him. He signalled her that he will be back in a jiffy.
He went through the exit and then broke into a run. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him through the departure lounge. He then exited through another door. He was now outside the building. He continued to his right, heading for where he saw the crane.
Seconds later, he got there. A huge crane stood behind the new terminal that was being built. Quickly, he entered the uncompleted building and took the stairs, sprinting up to the first floor and then the second floor. Finally, he got to the third and final floor. Immediately, he saw the assassin!