Security analyst, Adam Bonaa, has revealed that the Director General of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, COP George Alex Mensah, was evasive during questioning by the ad-hoc committee set up to probe leaked audio on the planned removal of IGP George Akuffo Dampare.
According to him, COP Mensah on a number of occasions failed to answer questions posed by members of the committee, considering its implications on his career. He explained that due to the fact that COP Mensah is on terminal leave, if he had given a definite response, particularly to the question regarding whether he is a member of the NPP or not, the consequence would not have been palatable.
Dr Bonaa indicated that among other things, COP Mensah risked being stripped off his retirement benefits and dismissed from the Service if he had admitted to being a member of the NPP.
“As a professional police officer, the law mandates you not to affiliate openly and publicly to any political party. You can be a sympathizer, so, you can see honorable Atta Akyea actually assisting him to answer that question. So, I think so far so good. But he was literally very evasive if you ask me, he couldn’t stand by the things that were uttered on the tape initially. But as they started asking him questions, he started opening up and giving definite answers…
“As far as I’m concerned, looking at his demeanor, I was expecting him to say it as it is – the way you listen to the tape, how bold he was when he was saying the things, I think in this particular sitting, he should have been much bolder… Quite unfortunate to have senior officers who belong to political parties and decided to do what they’ve done.”
Dr Adam Bonaa
COP Mensah doubts Bugri Naabu’s testimony
Commenting on COP Mensah’s revelation before the committee, which he blatantly stated that Bugri Naabu told a lot of lie in his narration of events which led to the leaked audio, Dr Bonaa stated that the COP’s statement does not in any way cast doubts on the testimony of Bugri Naabu.
He explained that per Bugri Naabu’s comments, he only recorded the conversation to aid him to have a conversation with the President with regards to what was discussed in the audio.
“Unfortunately for these people who ganged up, the tape seems to have leaked before Bugri Naabu sent the tape to the President. But you know his introductory commentary, he said that this is not the full version of the tape. So, I was expecting them to push him, if he says it is not the full version, does he have a copy of the full version?
“He seems to be saying that he knows more than we are hearing… He only said that this is an edited version and the committee and chairman said that as far as [they] are concerned, this is all [they] have…The moment you say this is an edited version, but you seem to suggest some of the things said in the tape you don’t remember them, then how truthful will you be, and which one will constitute the full version of the tape?”
Dr Adam Bonaa
Moreover, Dr Bonaa emphasized that COP Mensah in his appearance before the committee was visibly “evasive in one breath, not very candid and trying to belittle the recording and Bugri Naabu”.
However, he noted that a far as he is concerned, he is sticking to the revelations made by Bugri Naabu, urging the chairman of the committee, honorable Atta Akyea, to allow the conversation and interactions with the persons of interest flow.
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