My Accusers Were On A Fishing Expedition, Acting As Octopus– IGP

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, expressed worry about aspects of the parliament’s ad-hoc committee public hearing into a leaked tape allegedly plotting his removal.

According to the IGP, the officers plotting his removal made spurious allegations against his person without providing evidence to substantiate their claims when they appeared before the committee and yet he was invited to respond to such claims by the committee, this he believes may grant an undue advantage to his accusers.

Dr Dampare said these him on Tuesday September 12, 2023 when he appeared before the committee and was asked about his response to the claims against him.

He emphasised that it is the responsibility of the accusers to adequately substantiate their assertions before he is called upon to respond and observed that such actions by his accussers were attempt to divert attention and urged the need for careful examination of the claims.

“They are trying to twist it and divert attention. We allowed him to go on that fishing expedition, acting as octopuses in the quest to find something by whatever means to affect my person or my integrity,” he explained.

He conveyed his dissatisfaction with the fact that witnesses were not compelled to substantiate their accusations against him with evidence before his testimony was requested.

In his view, the efforts by previous witnesses to provide information to the committee do not adequately serve the gravity of the matter at hand.

“Honourable Chair, I think we need to look at this carefully. Because that is not fair. Having said that, I don’t have any tape, I don’t know about it. And they should stop it,” he said on September 12.

During his own appearance before the committee, on September 1, one of the witnesses, COP George Mensah, alleged that “intel suggests that what was used to tape the conversation was done by the current IGP.”

COP Mensah further claimed that Dr. George Akuffo Dampare had overseen the leak of the tape.

“He sent some people to do it, after which he went for it. So the tape, from my intel, is with the IGP, and he caused it to be leaked. So if this committee wants the tape, the right person to call before this committee is the Inspector General of Police,” he asserted.

However, the IGP will have none of that.

The IGP, together with all four previous witnesses are expected to appear before the council on Wednesday September 13, 2023.

They will also be joined by the National Security Minister who was mentioned by one of the witnesses in connection with a said NIB investigation.