A Senior Research Fellow of the Kumasi Technical University, Professor Smart Sarpong, has criticised the ahdoc committee set up to investigate a leaked tape that plotted the removal of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, for failing to execute its mandate.
COP Alex Mensah, now retired and two other officers; Emmanuel Gyebi and George Asare, have been accused of plotting the removal of the IGP over the alleged difficulty the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would face come the 2024 general elections should he remain in power.
The matter caught national attention, and Speaker Alban Bagbin constituted a committee chaired by Samuel Atta Akyea.
For over a month, the committee invited the suspects and subsequently invited the IGP in for questioning after COP Alex Mensah accused him of gagging the mouths of his subjects, which he said has led to mismanagement of the Service.
The inclusion of the IGP and the probe into allegations made against him, which veers off the mandate to probe the ousting of Dr Dampare have been highlighted by Professor Smart.
In his submissions on Peace FM, Professor Smart noted that the Committee was not prepared to holistically probe the matter, but was just interested in the subject of the conversation.
According to him, instead of probing the claims that the IGP had to be removed for the NPP to win the 2024 elections, the committee got attracted to other subject matters.
“I don’t think they cared about a good investigative process. They just started with interest. They said if we go and vote, the IGP will determine who wins – then let’s call the IGP for questioning.
“No wonder, when it got to a certain point, we had to call the IGP. On a normal day, the IGP who is supposed to be protected because some people were plotting against him, how was he going to be a subject of investigation.
“I just didn’t get the questions thrown at him. They didn’t make up their minds to make any proper investigation. They got interested in other passerby issues,” he said.
During the investigations, the chairman of the ad hoc Committee responsible for investigating the leaked tape revealing a plot to oust Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare from his position, Samuel Atta Akyea, has refuted claims of bias.
This response comes in the wake of accusations of bias from Mr. Kwame Gyan, the lawyer representing the IGP.
Mr. Gyan has expressed concerns about how Mr. Atta Akyea has been managing the committee’s proceedings, a sentiment he has held since the start of the investigation.
During his client’s appearance before the committee, Mr. Gyan raised objections regarding the presence of COP Alex Mensah and Superintendent Asare, who had previously testified against the IGP.
He requested that they be excused from the proceedings. However, Mr. Atta Akyea disagreed with the objection, despite a suggestion from Mr. James Agalga, the Ranking Member on the committee.
Nevertheless, Atta Akyea dismissed the allegations of bias.
Speaking to the media on October 10, at the end of an in-camera hearing by the committee, the Akim Abuakwa South Member of Parliament said “It is very disappointing for anybody to say I am biased. On the contrary, the generality of Ghanaians believe that I have steered the affairs of the committee well.
“If anybody is having jitters, that I am going to manufacture evidence against the IGP, it does not accord with common sense.
“Because what we are doing here is being recorded, so, Atta Akyea with whatever dexterity will not be able to improve upon the evidence,” he stressed adding that he was leading a fact-finding committee whose proceedings were being recorded and transcribed.”
Meanwhile, the ad hoc Committee responsible for investigating the leaked tape revealing a plot to oust Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare from his position has suspended its sittings indefinitely.