By-election violence : Govt set up Commission of Inquiry

Government has set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence that nearly marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections.

The three-member commission to be chaired by former Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) boss, Justice Emile Short will among other things  identify the perpetrators responsible for the violence for prosecution.

The other members are law professor, Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and former Inspector-General of Police, Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong.

Private legal practitioner and former Dean of the GIMPA Law School, Dr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi, has also been appointed as Secretary to the Commission, according to a statement issued and signed Wednesday, by Director of Communications for the Presidency, Eugene Arhin.

They have one month to submit it report to President Akufo-Addo giving reasons for its findings and recommendations, including appropriate sanctions.

Below is the full statement

ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO AYAWASO WEST WUOGON BY-ELECTION EVENTS)

The acting President of the Republic, Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has, with the consent of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, set-up a Commission of Inquiry into the events of violence which occurred during the by-election held in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency on 31^st January, 2019.

The Commission is composed of:

1. Justice Emile Short –        Chairperson
2. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu –        Member

• Patrick K. Acheampong –        Member

Mr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi, former Dean of the Faculty of Law of GIMPA and private legal practitioner, has been appointed as Secretary to the Commission.

The terms of reference of the Commission are:

• ​to make a full, faithful and impartial inquiry into the circumstances of, and establish the facts leading to, the events and associated violence during the Ayawaso West Wuogon By-Election on the 31^st day of January 2019;

• to identify any person responsible for or who has been involved in the events, associated violence and injuries;

• to inquire into any matter which the Commission considers incidental or reasonably related to the causes of the events and the associated violence and injuries; and

• to submit within one month its report to the President giving reasons for its findings and recommendations, including appropriate sanctions, if any.

Eugene Arhin

Director of Communications