DCOP Patrick Asiedu Sarpong, Accra Regional Police Commander
THE ACCRA REGIONAL Police Commander, DCOP Patrick Asiedu Sarpong has insisted that security arrangement for the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections was enough to forestall any clash or violence despite backlashes from a section of the public.
The Police came under heavy criticisms for not rising to the occasion after the shooting incident at the La Bawalweshie on Thursday, January 31, 2019.
However, the Police Capo, who appeared before the Emile Short Commission today, insisted that the security arrangements he put in place were to a large extent a success.
Security measures put in place, he said, was to ensure voters from NDC and NPP did not clash.
According to him, the shooting incident did not occur at the polling center but rather, occurred at the residence of the NDC candidate which was a few meters away from the polling center.
He maintained that the NDC parliamentary candidate who was attacked in his house was not part of voters at the polling center hence cannot be said to be a part of the election.
“The violence at the La Bawaleshie School had nothing to do with polling processes”, he stated.
He also revealed that the Police did not receive any intelligence that some persons were brought into the capital purposely to cause mayhem at the elections as was speculated by the NDC Chairman, Ofosu Ampofo on a Joy FM interview last month.
On whether his Command was carrying out any investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, DCOP Sarpong stated that investigations are being carried out at the National level hence they at the Regional Command are not supposed to do any.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio