Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, expressed his disapproval of certain aspects of the ongoing hearing, which he believes may grant an undue advantage to his accusers.
According to him, witnesses were not compelled to substantiate their accusations against him with evidence before his testimony was requested.
This is in relation to a leaked tape purporting a conspiracy to remove the IGP from office.
In his view, the efforts by previous witnesses to provide information to the committee do not adequately serve the gravity of the matter at hand.
“Honourable Chair, I think we need to look at this carefully. Because that is not fair. Having said that, I don’t have any tape, I don’t know about it. And they should stop it,” he said on September 12.
During his own appearance before the committee, on September 1, one of the witnesses, COP George Mensah, alleged that “intel suggests that what was used to tape the conversation was done by the current IGP.”
COP Mensah further claimed that Dr. George Akuffo Dampare had overseen the leak of the tape.
“He sent some people to do it, after which he went for it. So the tape, from my intel, is with the IGP, and he caused it to be leaked. So if this committee wants the tape, the right person to call before this committee is the Inspector General of Police,” he asserted.
However, the IGP will have none of that.
When the committee inquired about his response to these claims, Dr. Dampare said it is the responsibility of the accusers to adequately substantiate their assertions before he is called upon to respond.
In his view, these actions are an attempt to divert attention and suggested that they be examined carefully.
“They are trying to twist it and divert attention. We allowed him to go on that fishing expedition, acting as octopuses in the quest to find something by whatever means to affect my person or my integrity,” he explained.
The IGP, together with all four previous witnesses are expected to appear before the committee on Wednesday September 13,2023.
They will also be joined by the National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah who was mentioned by one of the witnesses in connection with a said NIB investigation.