The Chairperson of the Ghana Electoral Commission, Jean Adukwei Mensah has revealed there were no armed and masked men at any of the 137 polling stations of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency during the by-election on January 31, 2019.
It was reported scores of masked and armed men stormed the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency during the by-elections which created apathy and intimidation at the constituency.
The Minister of State in-charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong admitted the masked and heavily armed men deployed during the Ayawaso by-election were from the National Security to the La-Bawaleshie polling station after intelligence was picked up over some weapons that were being stocked in a warehouse near the polling station.
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The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) condemned the presence of heavy security as well as masked security officers at polling centres at the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
Albert Arhin, the National Coordinator of the Coalition, said the presence of the security officers also created voter apathy where people were frightened to come out and vote.
However, giving her testimony at the Justice Emile Short Commission of Inquiry’s hearing on Friday, Madam Jean Mensah denied these reports.
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“There were no armed masked men based on the reports from our field observers and our investigation tell us same. There was also no high-security presence neither was there abuse of policemen. All the reports and investigations so far confirmed there were verbal disagreements but not an assault” she added.
Madam Jean Mensah emphasized the Electoral Commission has gone a step further to identify about five policemen who were interrogated and confirmed there were arguments but no abuse as reported by CODEO.