Parliamentary Inquiry into leaked tape: Prosecute 3 police officers!! C’ ttee recommends as it exonerates IGP

• Dr George Akuffo
Dampare, IGP

Parliament has recommended further investigation and possible prosecution of three top police officers for perjury and professional misconduct.

They are Commissioner of Police (rtd) George Alex Mensah, Supt.George Asare and Supt. Eric Gyebi, who were heard plotting the removal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, in a leaked tape.

The recommendation, made by an Adhoc Committee constituted by Parliament to probe the tape, follows its finding that the conduct of the three police officers was “unethical, unprofessional and a (breach) of the Police Service act, 1970 (Act 350).”

The seven-member committee,said the recommendation for further probe into perjury and professional misconduct of the three were under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), the Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350) and the Police Service Regulations, 2012, (C.I. 76).

The above “findings of fact based on the evidence gathered and undisputed by all the witnesses who appeared before the committee,” were in the draft report of the committee, chaired by Samuel Atta Akyea, MP for Abuakwa South, which has been sighted by the Ghanaian Times, in Accra, yesterday.

The formation of the committee by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, was necessitated by a prayer to him by the Deputy Minority Leader and MP for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, in July last year, after the tape became public.

The tape, as authenticated, contained the voices of Chief Bugri Naabu, a former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), now COP retired Mensah, Supt. Asare and Supt. Gyebi.

The terms of reference of the committee was to establish the veracity of the tape, investigate the plot to remove the IGP, any other matter contained in the tape, national security implication and recommend sanctions to persons who would be found culpable.

According to the report, allegations by the masterminds of the plot that the IGP is affiliated to the opposition National Democratic Congress and could scuttle the governing party’s quest to break the eight year electoral cycle were “unsubstantiated and without basis.”

“The combined effect of the content of the leaked audio tape

and the testimony of the three senior police officers before the committee…is to allow for a more submissive, pliant IGP to help the NPP break the 8.”

This, the committee observed, has the potential to undermine the integrity of the forthcoming 2024 General Election and could potentially undermine the true will of the citizenry in respect of their right to freedom of choice and the right to vote as guaranteed under Article 21(13) of the Constitution and international human rights for which Ghana subscribes to.

COP retired George Alex Mensah, the committee established lied under oath by stating categorically that he was not a card bearing member of the NPP when responding to questions whether or not he is a member of the NPP.

“His subsequent conduct, however, of picking and filing to contest a parliamentary seat, specifically to represent the Bekwai Constituency on the ticket of the NPP established that he actually is evidently a card bearing member of the NPP,” the report said.

The two other officers the committee held that also lied under oath when they both denied calling and speaking to Chief Bugri Naabu on Supt. Asare’s phone in furtherance to their conspiracy to remove the IGP.

The committee wants the office of the IGP to be on the same terms and condition of service of a Justice of the Court of Appeal except that the tenure of office shall be non-renewable after the attainment of the compulsory retirement age of 60.

It recommended the insulation of sitting IGP removed from office except for stated misbehaviour or incompetence; incapacity to perform the functions of the office by reason of infirmity of body or mind and related misconduct provided under the Police Service Act or Regulations.