Sam George was assaulted for making a sensitive comment - SWAT Team Commander

Commander in charge of National Security SWAT team, DSP Samuel Kojo Azugu has confirmed that the the ‘attired’ civilian operative who assaulted the Member of Parliament for Ningo-prampram, Sam George during the By-election at Ayawaso West Wuogon was a member of the SWAT team.

According to the commander, Sam George made a sensitive comment that provoked the civilian operative and warranted the subsequent response from him.

DSP Azugu however requested for an in-camera session for the exact comments from Sam George to be told the commission when it was asked of him. This he said was due to the ‘sensitive’ nature of the comments.

The request was followed by a directive by the commission that the comments be penned down together with the name of the said civilian operative who meted out the act.

Upon deliberation the commission decided that the named SWAT member involved in the assault be made available to give his testimonies to the commission.

Meanwhile the commander has stated that he wasn't at the scene where Sam George was assaulted on the day owing to the location of his vehicle; he only saw footage of the incident on social media.

He also sought to establish on record that the supposed masked and attired men who were at the polling grounds on the day were members of the SWAT team, dispatched for intelligence gathering purposes.

On Monday, February 11 2019, the three-member Commission set up by Akufo-Addo begun work to probe the shooting incidence that occurred during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by election on January 31 2019.

Some masked national security operatives shot and wounded some supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the private residence of the NDC’s candidate which was also close to the La Bawaleshie Presby polling centre.

Some civilians were also beaten up, including a Member of Parliament (MP) Sam George. He was slapped in the brawl by some national security operatives said to be SWAT team members.

So far, the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery; National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah and Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, Jean Mensah, EC chair have appeared before the commission to give testimonies of what happened during the by-election which led to about 16 members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) sustaining various degree of injuries.