By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Sept. 5, GNA – Superintendent George L. Asare, a third witness in the ongoing inquiry into an alleged plot to remove Dr George Akuffo Dampare from office, has named “Asante”, another Police Officer as the one who helped Mr Daniel Bugri Naabu, a former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party to record their private conversation.
He revealed this when he appeared before the Parliamentary bi-partisan seven-member Committee investigating the leaked tape.
Superintendent Asare said: “His intelligence gathering exposed that ASP Asante was the one who did the recording.”
In his narration to the Committee, he alleged that, coincidentally, when the tape was leaked and Mr Naabu called him on the telephone, he mentioned the name Asante and questioned why he leaked the tape, evidently knowing that he had rather called Asare.
Further, he told the Committee that ASP Asante was assisted to go to the Police College by Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah, another Police officer captured on the alleged leaked tape.
He, however, told the Committee that he would disclose much of the information on the said officer to the committee in camera.
Meanwhile, Mr Naabu, also the Paramount Chief of Namong in the North East Region in the Mamprugu Kingdom on Monday, August 28, during his public hearing confirmed the veracity of the leaked tape.
He, also, told the Committee that he did the recording with the assistance of someone he engaged and paid.
Mr Naabu, again cited three Police officers as engaging in the plot conversation.
Commissioner of Police, George Alex Mensah, Superintendent George L. Asare and Superintendent Emmanuel Eric Gyebi according to Mr Naabu were the trio he engaged in the conversation with at his office in Osu.
On Thursday, August 31, and Friday, September 01, 2023, COP George Alex Mensah when he appeared before the Committee also alleged that Dr Dampare, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had a hand in the recording and the subsequent leaking of the tape.
On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, a leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove IGP Dampare from office circulated.
Consequently, the Minority Caucus in Parliament called for a probe into the leaked tape.
Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, on July 25, 2023, constituted a seven-member bi-partisan Committee to probe into the secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dr Dampare, IGP from office ahead of the 2024 general election.
The Committee, which has up to September 10 2023 to report back to the House, is made up of three members each from the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, and a technical person.
The committee is chaired by Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South with Mr James Agalga, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa North as the Vice-Chairman.
It has Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, NPP MP for Okaikwei Central; Madam Ophelia Mensah, NPP MP for Mfantseman; Mr Eric Opoku, NDC MP for Asunafo South and Mr Peter Lanchene Tuobu, NDC MP for Wa West as members of the Committee.
While Dr Isaac Lartey Annang, a lawyer and a human rights activist, is a technical person appointed by Mr Bagbin.
GNA