The Director-General of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, COP George Alex Mensah, has revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo-Dampare, has “shut the mouth” of police officers, denying them the opportunity to express their displeasure about his management of the Service.
According to him, Dr Dampare does not equally allow the Public Affairs Directorate of the Service to discharge its duties as expected.
“As I have said earlier, the current IGP is not managing the service well because now, he has shut the mouth of every police officer including the Public Affairs Director…”
COP George Alex Mensah
Appearing before the Committee tasked to investigate an alleged plot to remove the IGP today, Friday, September 1, COP Alex Mensah iterated earlier sentiments on the competence of the IGP. He stated that the current IGP has performed below expectations.
“Honourable member and honourable chair, what I said yesterday, if you give me the opportunity today, I will say it again. For me, for the 31 years I have been in the Service, he [Dr George Akuffo Dampare] is the worst IGP ever. I will not deny that fact today, tomorrow or the next day. I will make that statement again, that the current Inspector General of Police is not managing the Police Service well.”
COP George Alex Mensah
COP Mensah lobbied to replace IGP
Moreover, COP Mensah revealed that Commander George Asare, another officer implicated in the leaked audio, lobbied for him to be appointed as the new IGP to replace Dr. Dampare. He explained that Bugri Naabu, the former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, informed Superintendent Asare that the Akufo-Addo government was considering a change in leadership of the Police Service due to concerns about the current IGP’s performance.
COP Mensah narrated that Superintendent Asare moved on to recommend him as a suitable replacement for Dr. Dampare. Additionally, he stated that based on that recommendation, Bugri Naabu invited him to his office for a discussion.
“Bugri Naabu told Asare that the IGP is likely to be changed and they are looking for a replacement. So, Supt. Asare told him that there is a boy who can do the job well. So, Bugri Naabu invited me to come so we could talk.”
COP George Alex Mensah
Meanwhile, chairman of the committee probing the leaked tape on the plot to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Samuel Atta Akyea, has hinted that any witness who attempts to tamper with the controversial audio will be jailed.
He further noted that anyone who tries to doctor the tape will not be spared.
Despite the former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bugri Naabu, confirming the authenticity of the tape, COP George Alex Mensah, who is implicated in the leaked audio has rejected its authenticity.
To this end, the legal team of COP Mensah requested for about an hour and a half to compare the transcript and the audio that was made available to them.
“There’s no way a witness before this committee would want sub-evidence and we will not give him. But if the witness is sufficiently funny and wants to doctor what we have given him, he’s in jail already, and he knows. So, whether he will tamper with the evidence that we will graciously give him, he should go ahead and do it. It’s called evidence tampering. We will not stop you if you want to get the audio and the transcribed version.”
Samuel Atta Akyea,
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