Captain (retd) Kojo Tsikata, the former head of National Security and Foreign Affairs of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), has passed on.

According to the family, the former member of the Council of State, who has been unwell, died in the early hours of Saturday, November 20. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.

"In accordance with his wishes, the family will be making arrangements for a private family funeral," a statement signed by Colonel (retd) Joshua Agbotui and Fui Tsikata said.

The 85-year-old was appointed in 1982 under the Jerry Rawlings administration and was in charge of national security from 1982 and later joined the Rawlings administration on January 21, 1995.

The deceased was a captain of the Ghana Army.

In 1995, he was asked to join a negotiating team with Ibn Chambas, the then Deputy Foreign Minister, and Brigadier General Agyemfra.

He rejected a national award to be conferred on him in the category of the order of Volta companion under President John Agyekum Kuffour.

He was listed as one of the six government officials under the NDC regime to receive the award.

Captain Tsikata received one of Angola's highest honours, known as Carlos Silva among Angolan fighters, for his role in the struggle for national independence.

He was a holder of the Solidarity Award and the Order of "Carlos Manuel de Céspedes", conferred by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba.

Allegation of judges murder

A retired supreme court judge, Justice G. E. K. Aikins, had claimed that Captain Tsikata was implicated in the kidnapping and murder of three high court judges and a retired army officer on June 30, 1983, during the PNDC regime. But he was never tried.

Captain Tsikata was brought under scrutiny, but during the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) hearing in 2003, he denied being involved with the killing of the judges.

There was also insufficient evidence to prosecute him according to the Attorney-General's detailed reasons.

One of the reasons was that, before the execution of the sole witness, he withdrew his accusation against the deceased.