Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, reported himself to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) yesterday after he was granted a GH¢400,000 bail on Monday.
He was accompanied by some NDC lawyers, including Tony Lithur, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Dr Dominic Ayine and Barbara Serwaa Asamoah.
Mr Ampofo reported around 9:20am and left the CID premises in less than 30 minutes after meeting the deputy director-general.
The Pentecost elder later met the investigating team, led by ACP George Tweneboah, the Deputy Director General of the CID, in a separate room with his lawyers before leaving the premises as part of his bail condition.
The CID invited the chairman to come and assist in investigations with regard to remarks he made when he hosted party communicators and others at the NDC headquarters in the aftermath of the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-election violence recently.
He continuously played ‘hide-and-seek’ with the Ghana Police Service following a leaked audio recording that set tongues wagging in the country.
The police could not reach the National Chairman of the NDC to deliver the invitation but sources said a scanned copy of the letter was personally sent to Mr. Ampofo through his WhatsApp line but surprisingly within 30 minutes, the letter went viral on social media and the mainstream media started discussing it.
The Police came under intense pressure from Ghanaians, many of who wondered why he would flout the directive to report to the police to assist in investigations.
When he eventually turned up at the CID headquarters and into the waiting arms of ACP/Mr. George Tweneboah, he was said to have been questioned about the various segments of the audio recording.
Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo was grilled over the audio recording in which he allegedly gave instructions to the communicators to take action against the National Peace Council Chairman, among others.
The leaked audio recording contained the chilling strategies the NDC intends to use for the 2020 elections – one being the kidnappings of family members of political opponents.
He was eventually granted police enquiry bail in the sum of GH¢400,000 with two sureties.
The NDC Chairman was charged with conspiracy to cause harm, threat of harm, conspiracy to commit rioting and assault on public officer.
His second appearance at the CID headquarters following the invitation from the Deputy Director General did not generate media attention as the earlier one.
The contents of the audio recording continue to resonate across political circles across the country even as the NDC seeks to downplay the contents, given the negative fallouts thereof.
There is more to talk about in political circles about both ruling and opposition parties with the revelation of the Minority Leader’s alleged statement on the tape.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey