The Parliamentary Committee that probed the leaked tape in which three senior police officers were alleged to have plotted the removal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare has cleared the Inspector General of Police of any wrongdoing.
In a draft report of the Abuakwa South Member of Parliament chaired Committee submitted to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, the Committee indicted the three senior officers involved in the alleged audio and called for further investigation and their subsequent prosecution for perjury.
“In view of the issues raised before the Committee and resolved by the investigations and evidence uncovered by the Committee, the Committee makes the following recommendations for consideration by the Rt. Honourable Speaker.
“The three senior police officers namely, COP Alex Mensah, Supt. George Lysander Asare and Supt. Eric Emmanuel Gyebi involved in the conspiracy to remove the IGP should be referred for further investigation and possible prosecution for perjury under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) and professional misconduct under the Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350) and the Police Service Regulations, 2012, (C.I. 76)”.
Atta-Kyea Committee’s Report
The Committee further recommended the review or amendment of Article 202(1) of the 1992 Constitution, the Police Service Act, (Act 350) and related legislation and statutes that fundamentally secure the independence of the office of the Inspector General of Police
According to the Committee, such a review of the above-mentioned laws and legislation would help to safeguard the sanctity of the appointment of the Inspector General of Police and shield the appointment process from perceptions of ‘partisanship’ and political ‘manipulation’.
Again, the Committee recommended that the office of the Inspector General of Police be made on the same terms and conditions of service of a Justice of the Court of Appeal except that the tenure of office shall be non-renewable after the attainment of compulsory retirement of sixty years.
The Committee strongly provided that a serving Inspector General of Police shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehaviour or incompetence; incapacity to perform the functions of the office because of the infirmity of body or mind and other related misconduct provided under the Police Service Act or Regulations.
The Atta-Kyea Committee report also called on parliament to expedite action on the enactment of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers Bill to address professional ‘dilemmas’ that may lead to conflict of interest.
Election Security Management
Moreover, the Committee’s report highlighting the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of election security management recommended that the Inspector General of Police as head of the National Election Security Task Force must ensure transparency in the deployment of security personnel engaged in election security management operations.
According to the Committee, if under any circumstances such personnel are found to have acted unprofessionally in the discharge of their duties, including in violent intimidation of a voter, they should be held accountable by the Ghana Police Service or any other appropriate external accountable authority or body in the country.
More so, the Committee’s report recommended that to promote professionalism and adherence to good practice within the police service, the Police Council or the Police Management Board (POMAB) should put in place a programme of continuous professional training of police personnel at all levels regarding the legal, policy and normative frameworks.
The Committee provided that, in such instances the Ghana Police Service can collaborate with key stakeholders, particularly the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Office of the Attorney-General and the Ministry for Justice and related civil society actors to achieve its objective.
“Urgent steps should be taken by the Police Council towards the establishment of an Independent Police Complaint Commission (IPCC) modelled on global good/best practices pertaining in jurisdictions such as South Africa, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Canada, Malaysia, etc., to replace the existing Police Professional Standard Bureau (PPSB). PPSB currently serves as an internal accountable mechanism dedicated to the maintenance of professional standards by checking acts of misconduct and unprofessional/unethical conduct involving police personnel.
“The need for the establishment of IPCC is anchored in the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights Resolution 13a, 2006 on ‘Police Reform, Accountability and Civilian Oversight in Africa’, which aims at enhancement of peace and security, checking abuse of power and professional misconduct by police personnel. The proposed IPCC primarily would function as an independent oversight body (Ombudsman) for purposes of ensuring internal and external accountability relative to the GPS”.
Atta-Kyea Committee’s Report
The Committee in conclusion of its report to the Speaker of Parliament, recommended the strict enforcement of the provisions under the Police Service Act 1970 (Act 350) and the Police Service Regulations 2012 (C.I. 76), which prohibit serving police officers from engaging in activities outside their duties as police officers which may lead to political controversy as the Committee found for the three senior police officers in its enquiry.
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