The Ghana Police Service has suspended the interdiction of three senior officers, who are being linked to a leaked tape allegedly plotting the removal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
The police in a statement dated September 7, indicated that the decision to suspend the interdiction of the three police officers is to ensure it does not prejudice the ongoing probe by Parliament.
On Thursday, a press statement from the police service announced the interdiction of three senior officers due to their involvement in the alleged plot but a new twist came up same day, indicating the suspension.
The statement announcing the suspension indicated that, “Following the interdiction of COP/Mr George Alex Mensah, Supt/Mr Emmanuel Eric Gyebi and Supt/Mr George Lysander Asare in connection with the leaked audio tape, the Police Administration would commence disciplinary proceedings into their conduct upon completion of the ongoing probe by Parliament.”
“In order not to prejudice the ongoing probe, the Police administration has suspended their interdiction”.
Background
COP George Alex Mensah, one of the three police officers whose voice was recorded in a conversation with former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, has been making damning allegations against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, labelling him as the worst IGP to ever lead Ghana’s police service.
COP Mensah asserts that the IGP has not managed the police service adequately during his two years in office.
During his second-day appearance before the 7-member ad-hoc committee tasked to investigate the matter on Friday, September 1, 2023, he stressed that for the number of years in the service, he has never seen an incompetent IGP than Mr. Damapare.
He continued by saying that though the IGP has been advised severally to do the right things, he always refused.
Superintendent George Asare, one of the three police officers whose voice was recorded in a conversation with former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, has accused the Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, of being the mastermind behind the recording of their conversation.
This allegation was also made by COP George Alex Mensah when he appeared before the 7-member ad hoc committee tasked with investigating the matter on Friday, September 1.
“My intel suggests that what was used to tape the conversation was done by the current IGP. He sent some people to do it and after which he went for it and so the tape, from my intel is with the IGP, and he caused it to be leaked so if this committee wants the tape, then it should contact the IGP for it,” COP Mensah told the committee.
In his first appearance before the committee on September 4, 2023, Superintendent Asare, who also held the same view, accused the IGP of hiring people to record them.
Meanwhile, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee probing the alleged plot to remove from office the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare Dampare, has said the Committee could invite Dr Dampare to respond to certain questions and concerns raised by the witnesses.
Addressing the media in Parliament, Mr Atta Akyea explained that the possible invitation of the IGP was to enable the development and stretching out of evidence.
“This is because what we should place before the plenary should not be shoddy and one-sided,” he said.
“If the presence of the individual will give relevance to the fact-finding exercise, we will do that.”
Mr Atta Akyea, however, did not give the date the committee would invite the IGP.
He told the media that if it became imperative that the Committee opted for an in-camera hearing to obtain security-sensitive information from Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah, a witness, that would be done.
See suspension statement below
