Sulemana (right) with his interpreter at the Commission hearing whilst the video is being shown to him
A MEMBER of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit of National Security, Mohammed Sulemana has indicated that he beat Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George for calling him a foolish Northerner.
Mr. Sulemana was testifying before the Justice Emile Short Commission on Friday, March 8, 2019 at the Osu Castle in Accra.
He said on the day of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, he was sitting in a car with other members of the SWAT Team when he heard Mr. George shouting on top of his voice.
He noted that Mr. George came close to the car on the La Bawaleshie Park and that when Sulemana got down, Mr. George upon seeing his tribal mark, called him foolish Northerner.
According to him, from the conduct of Mr. George on that day, he did not appear to be a Member of Parliament.
He stated that if he knew Sam George was an MP he would not have “knocked” him.
Sam George was slapped twice on January 31, 2019 during the bloody by-election.
When asked if he would apologize when given the opportunity, he responded in the affirmative.
“My Lord, I will apologize to him. My Lord, I was guilty at what I did. I regret what I did,” he said in Dagbani.
He appeared very remorseful throughout his short testimony.
A member of the Commission, Prof. Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu, admonished him to be mindful of actions as a public official.
She said “so never forget that when you wear a uniform, you are not Sulemana but a Ghanaian official and you must treat all Ghanaians with respect.”
She told him that “you need to apologize not only to the person (Mr. George) but also to your unit and to all of us.”
A video was shown to Mr. Sulemana during the hearing in which he was seen dropping off the vehicle angrily towards Mr. George and ended up slapping him.
BY Melvin Tarlue