In the ongoing investigation into the alleged plot to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Samuel Atta Akyea, the Chairman of the adhoc committee tasked with probing the leaked tape has revealed that a new audio recording is now in the committee’s possession.
Mr. Atta Akyea made this disclosure on Monday, September 4, during a media briefing following the interrogation of Superintendent George Asare.
“We have the benefit of a tape, on the assumption that it’s authentic. Members of the committee will have to listen to the tape and read the transcript, which will give us ideas on what to do next. First of all, do we bring all the stakeholders together with their lawyers for cross-examination and cross-firing to take place, while listening attentively? And then, after they have finished, will we have our turn?”
This development comes after a series of hearings involving key witnesses in the investigation. During the interrogation of COP Alex Mensah last week, he noted that the leaked tape in circulation had been altered. While he managed to identify some parts of the audio, he refrained from accepting the audio in its entirety.
“This is an edited tape; there are so many things in that tape that I heard today that I do not remember, and there are certain things I remember that we discussed that are not on the tape,” he remarked.
Superintendent George Asare, during his appearance before the committee, corroborated COP Alex Mensah’s statement, asserting that the tape was incomplete and had been manipulated by an unknown source.
“Honourable chair, in my earlier comments to the committee, it was clear that the tape is incomplete, and whoever masterminded that tape, which of course you will get to know by the close of the day if not today, but I don’t know when the in-camera engagement will take place but before I sign out, you will understand everything,” he stated.
Furthermore, former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Chief Bugri Naabu, informed the Committee last week that he had sent a copy of the recorded tape to the President. He cited concerns over the political affiliations of Commissioners at the Police Headquarters and his desire for the President to hear the contents directly from the recording.
COP Alex Mensah, on the other hand, claimed that the original tape was in the possession of IGP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, alleging that the IGP orchestrated the tape’s release.
In response to these developments, the Chairman of the committee, Atta Akyea, expressed the committee’s intention to hold in-camera hearings with the accused in the coming days. He emphasized the need to safeguard sensitive information related to national security during the investigation.
The probe into the alleged plot to remove the IGP continues, with the emergence of the new audio recording adding a fresh layer of complexity to the ongoing inquiry.
