The Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare, on Tuesday, became very emotional as tears nearly dropped from his eyes when he appeared before the Ad-Hoc Parliamentary Committee to answer questions about the contents of a leaked audio allegedly plotting his removal.
Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, who was accompanied by his lawyers led by Kwame Gyan when speaking before the committee said some wild allegations made against him by the three police officers have caused severe pain to him and his family.
He emphatically refuted the allegations that he was part of a conspiracy to secretly record conversations of the three implicated police officers– COP Alex Mensah, Superintendent George Asare, and Superintendent Emmanuel Eric Gyebi and Bugri Naabu.
He expressed his commitment to upholding the law and maintaining the integrity of the Ghana Police Service, adding that he is willing to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation, vowing to provide any necessary information or assistance to uncover the truth behind the leaked tape.
Even before the IGP spoke, the Chairman and the members of the committee sitting on the case had said to would-be respondents that the case implies perjury as they are swearing on oath before testifying to the committee.
This follows a formal request made by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare for three implicated senior police officers to be excluded from the proceedings during his testimony in the ongoing leaked tape probe.
Lawyer Kwame Gyan noted that, it is unfair as the IGP was not invited to be present during the probe of the other witnesses.
He noted that ‘’Mr Charman and Honourable members, our first objection has to do with the presence in this room, at this time of the witnesses who previously were invited by this august committee and who have gone through the process of giving their own testimonies’’.
“We were given written notice on Friday to appear before this committee and the notice said we should note that all other witnesses who have attended the committee will be present and the meeting will be held in-camera. So our first objection has to do with the presence of the other witnesses,” he said.
But Lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, the Chairman of the ad hoc committee said they do not have anything to hide.
According to him, the mandate of the committee, set up by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is simply to get to the merit of the leaked tape and nothing else.
Reacting to the decision to hear aspects of the IGP’s testimonies in public, contrary to earlier public information all his sessions would be held in-camera.
“We have heard a lot of people say why is it that you made it open and you intend to go in-camera. Our response is very simple: what was made open was in the kitchens of Ghanaians; they’ve listened to it already and we couldn’t do anything about it. But when we want to find evidential support for what is in the public domain, and in our discretion, it will touch on National Security, then we don’t have to go open.
“… we have nothing to hide. And I want everybody to come to terms with what I am saying; we have nothing to hide as a committee of parliament. We didn’t originate the trouble. None of us manufactured a tape… as a matter of fact, we have been burdened with investigation by the Speaker,” he said.
Samuel Atta Akyea stressed the point that nothing they do as a committee is intended for any ulterior motive.
“We do not have malice aforethought and I want to emphasize that. We do not believe anybody’s disgrace will inure to our benefit. We do not believe that when a man rises to the high office of Inspector General of Police, we are the ones going to smear him and vilify him. None of us has that kind of agenda. We are not going to slant anything so somebody is disadvantaged,” he stressed.
-BY Daniel Bampoe