James Agalga, the vice chairman of the committee probing the leaked tape relative to the position of the Inspector General of Police, Dr Akuffo Dampare, has suggested that in order to verify the authenticity of the widely circulated ‘IGP leaked tape’, it may be necessary for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to appear before the committee.
Mr. Agalga has emphasized the importance of natural justice and believes that Dr. Dampare’s alleged involvement in the audio recording warrants his appearance before the committee.
While Daniel Bugri Naabu, the former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, has admitted to recording the audio, COP Alex Mensah has complicated matters by alleging that the tape was orchestrated by the IGP himself. Mr. Agalga has stressed the need to hear Dr. Dampare’s perspective, given that he has been implicated in the matter.
“Bugri Naabu took responsibility for recording the tape. But today, COP Alex Mensah, gave the whole matter another twist. He is now alleging that the Inspector General of Police is the one who engineered the recording of the conversation. That is a very serious allegation to make.
“In all fairness to the IGP, the committee may have to invite him to assist in the investigation to determine if he actually played a role in the recording. So that when it turns out that, yes, indeed, he was involved in having the conversation recorded, then he could also help the committee with the authentication. What the committee is interested in is whether the tape in question is authentic or not.
“Bugri Naabu has already taken the lead by saying that he did the recording. Today you heard Alex Mensah say that aspects of the tape are not genuine. He admitted and took responsibility for some aspects of it.
“So I think that it’s only fair that before we make any conclusive statements as a committee, especially as the IGP’s name has been mentioned, in line with natural justice, we should hear from him. But that is my personal view for now,” Mr. Agalga explained on Accra-based Citi TV.
Meanwhile, during his appearance before a parliamentary committee of inquiry on August 31st, COP George Alex Mensah, former director general (technical) of the Ghana Police Service, expressed concern over the low morale within the police service.
He attributed this to the management style of the current Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare, which has left many personnel dissatisfied.
However, COP Mensah clarified that despite his opinion of IGP Dampare’s managerial abilities, he is not involved in any plot to remove him from office.
The committee is currently investigating a leaked tape that allegedly contains discussions about the possible removal of the IGP by three police officers and the former northern regional chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu.
“Dampare is not managing the police service well and the majority of police officers are not happy,” COP Mensah told the committee members. “You can call the police officers underground and they will tell you.”
“The tape that I heard today, there are so many things in that tape that I don’t remember and there are so many things that we discussed that are not on the tape. I’ve met Bugri Naabu four times and we have discussed many things some of them private things that I am not ready to discuss in public
“I had a meeting with Bugri Naabu but I don’t remember having any plan to remove the IGP because I don’t remove IGPs,” COP Mensah said.
