IGP, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare
Lawyers representing the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, in the ongoing investigation into the leaked tape allegedly plotting the removal of the Chief Constable, have expressed their readiness to face the adhoc Committee, especially the Chairman, Samuel Atta-Akyea, on a hard side.
Lead counsel for the IGP, Lawyer Kwame Gyan, has criticized the Chairman of the Parliamentary adhoc Committee for apparent bias.
Gyan stated that it seemed like the committee was solely under the control of the Chairman, and they would see how the other members would react to their upcoming submissions.
He emphasized that they would not proceed with caution in the subsequent proceedings.
When asked if they were ready for a showdown, the lead counsel stated that “showdown is an understatement, but ‘show up’ since showdown has been abused and battered.”
Gyan alleged that Atta-Akyea had consistently made prejudicial comments during the proceedings.
The committee was set to continue its sittings today behind closed doors, but Lawyer Kwame Gyan insisted that the committee had already completed its work.
According to Gyan, they will resist any attempts by the Chairman to bring in additional witnesses to testify.
Kwame Gyan told Joy FM that the Chairman is behaving as if he was a sole commissioner, and they intend to use all necessary legal means to challenge his actions.
When asked about the motivation behind the Chairman’s behavior, the lead counsel implied that the Chairman had his own agenda and had been granting interviews to the press after each proceeding. Gyan mentioned that the Chairman had claimed that a tape submitted by Bugri Naabu had been doctored.
The committee is scheduled to sit in camera today.
The adhoc committee, tasked with examining the authenticity of the leaked audio tape involving the IGP, will reconvene today for a five-day session running from Tuesday, October 10 to Saturday, October 15.
The tape allegedly captured conversations between three police officers and a former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, plotting the removal of the current IGP before the 2024 general elections.
While Naabu has confirmed the tape’s contents, COP Alex Mensah and Superintendent George Asare have denied the accuracy of the recording, claiming that sections had been edited. COP Mensah argued that the tape had been doctored and did not represent the original conversation with Naabu.
He also alleged that IGP Dampare had political affiliations with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), a claim dismissed by IGP Dampare as baseless.
All parties involved have appeared before the committee thus far. During the previous hearing, retired COP Mensah mentioned two witnesses who would support his claims about the leaked tape.
The committee will hear from these witnesses and then conduct cross-examinations. Following this, the interested parties will submit their respective evidence for consideration.
By Vincent Kubi