Two (2) retired police officers have been named among a Seven-member Parliamentary committee to probe the leaked tape that contained voices of some prominent persons suspected to be seeking to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
Ms Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantsiman Constituency who retired from the Police Service in 2020 as a Chief Inspector with the Interpol Unit and Superintendent (Retired) Peter Lanchene Toobu, a former Executive Secretary to the Inspector General of Police, David Asante Apeatu and now Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa West are the trained officers among the committee.
It is being chaired by seasoned Lawyer and Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Akyea with support from James Agalga, MP for Builsa North as the Vice Chair.
Other members are; Patrick Yaw Boamah, MP for Okaikwei Central and Eric Opoku, MP for Asunafo.
To enhance the investigation’s expertise, the committee will be joined by Dr Isaac Lartey Annan, a distinguished lawyer and human rights expert, who will lend valuable insights into the matter.
The Special Committee has been granted a deadline of September 10, 2023, to submit its comprehensive report, assuring the public that the investigation will be conducted with the utmost diligence and impartiality.
Background
On Tuesday July 11, 2023, a secret tape containing the voice a person believed to be a member of NPP Council of Elders was played on Accra-based Starr Fm where he was having a discussion with an unnamed senior police officer.
“This IGP is not correct, he won’t help us. Alhaji you have done politics, you know elections is not just… elections, sometimes mafia work is inside… and this man sitting down up there will not help our party to do anything,” the supposed Senior Police officer added.
The other believed to be Bugri Naabu corroborates his statement by responding “[it’s] not just sometimes, mafia work is inside. As for elections mafia work is involved.”
On the just-ended Assin North by-election, he said “I will talk to the chairman and the General Secretary myself… they should stay in the headquarters. They will go and see our plans and work to destroy it”
Parliament calls for probe
The matter was raised on the floor of parliament with calls for a probe in view of its delicate nature and the matters discussed thereof.
Subsequently, the speaker Right Honourable Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin on Tuesday July 25, 2023, unveiled members of the 7-member Special Committee tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.
