IT HAS emerged that five members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were ordered by National Security Operatives at the forecourt of the residence of the party’s parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election, Delali Kwasi Brempong.
The five were reportedly packing food inside a pick-up for distribution to NDC’s polling agents during the January 31, 2019 by-election when they were accordingly confronted by the Operatives and asked to lie on the floor.
One of the five victims, Hamidu Amadu, made this known when he appeared before the Justice Emile Short Commission of Inquiry probing the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency by-election shooting incident.
Mr. Amadu told the Commission that he was beaten with chain on his arm, back and sustained wound around the eye.
He said they were packing the food around 7:30am to 8:00am when the National Security Operatives dressed in black and khahi arrived and asked them to get down from the pick up and lie down.
According to him, while lying on the floor, one of the operatives rushed to the pick up and tried to take the ignition key of the pick-up.
He said he asked the operative why he was taking the key and the operative said he wanted to search the key.
At that point, he told the Commission that he asked the operative whether he had a search warrant.
According to him, another operative came from behind and asked his colleague “why are you allowing him (Amadu) to ask you? Why don’t you slap him?”
He stated that it was at that point he asked the crowd of about 100 people to come and assist him drive the operatives numbering 35 away because they were not “police.”
The Commission’s lawyer put it to him that by that singular act, he incited the crowd against the operatives but he said that was not the case.
He said he only called the crowd to come and assist them collect the keys, saying that it was not his intention to call the crowd to fight these people.
According to him, when he collected the ignition key, he felt that they were not police people and that when they took the key away, the food onboard the pick-up will spoil.
At that point, Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, a member of the Commission asked him whether he knew all the people in Ghana.
She also put it to him that “he made himself leader of a crowd he didn’t know.”
She further put it to him whether he knew by calling the crowd, that’s how lynching begins and that his act made the operatives to fire the gunshots.
Mr. Amadu briefed the Commission that one of the operatives fired about six gunshots and that caused them to run for cover.
According to him, while they were in their hideouts, they saw Sam George, NDC Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Constituency, and told him that their car key had been seized.
He said Mr. George asked them to wait and that he will go and get the key for them.
BY Melvin Tarlue