Interdicting COP Mensah, others form of blackmail, witness tampering — Atta Akyea

The Ghana Police Service led by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare has been accused of witness tampering regarding the ongoing leaked tape hearing by parliament.

According to the Chairman of the Committee, Samuel Atta Akyea Esq, just when the details of the testimony of the witnesses were about to be taken in-camera, the police announced their an interdiction of three officials.

Atta Akyea said he believes the interdiction was an attempt to blackmail and silence current witnesses and future witnesses to appear before the Committee.

“No dispute about interference. It [Interdiction] was a raw and direct interference in the work of the Committee.

"The people who were interdicted were at the beginning of their testimony and were about to start going into testimony and you interdict them. It was an affront to democracy while they were beginning to testify in the matter” He said.

He added: “I was very much surprised. When people elect to testify on oath on their own volition they don’t have a sword hanging on their heads so the Interdiction was as if to say if you come here and testify with the truth the powers that be will interdict you.

"If they knew they will be interdicted they wouldn’t have come. If you are not careful you are on the verge of interfering with witnesses and blackmailing them or intimidating them. If you open your mouth now you will be interdicted…”

Last week, the Ghana Police Service in a press statement announced the interdiction of three senior officers due to their involvement in a contentious audio recording, now under parliamentary scrutiny.

However, in a new twist the same day with another press statement dated September 7, 2023, the police administration announced the suspension of the interdiction.

“In order not to prejudice the ongoing probe [by Parliament], the Police administration has suspended their interdiction”, the press statement signed and issued by the Director of Police Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Grace Ansah-Akrofi explained.

In the earlier press statement, the police administration said it has interdicted the three officers, namely Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr. George Alex Mensah, Superintendent Mr. Emmanuel Eric Gyebi, and Superintendent Mr. George Lysander Asare while further disciplinary procedures were being pursued in compliance with Police Service regulations.

Atta Kyea said his Committee did not interfere with the police interdiction although it was strange but said he was happy the police itself saw reason in reversing the decision.