Mr Kwame Gyan, Lawyer for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr Goerge Akuffo Dampare has said that he is not going to mince words during the committee hearing of the leaked tape that captures an alleged plot to oust the IGP, today Tuesday October 10.
Mr Gyan told journalists in Parliament ahead of the committee sitting that the IGP would be present at the hearing today.
“Today, we will do what lawyers do, my client is coming the IGP is coming,” he said.
Lawyer Kwame Gyan has had issues with how Mr. Atta Akyea conducts affairs of the committee right from the commencement of proceedings. When his client took his turn before the committee, Mr. Gyan protested the presence of COP Alex Mensah and Superintendent Asare and requested that they should be made to leave. However, Mr. Atta Akyea objected to the protest despite a suggestion by Ranking Member on the committee, Mr. James Agalga.
Meanwhile, COP Alex Mensah (rtd) has vowed to spill the beans when he returns to the parliamentary committee hearing on October 10, 2023.
Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Keminni Amanor on Monday, October 9, he said ” I will be vindicated, I know what happened.”
COP Mensah earlier described the IGP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare as the worst IGP in the history of the service after accusing Dr Dampare of not managing the service well.
He made this known on Friday, September 1 when he appeared before the special seven-member committee for the second time after making the first appearance on Thursday, August 31.
He said “What I said yesterday if you give me the chance today I will say so again, he is not managing the service well. For me, for the 31 years that I have been in the service, I can tell you he is the worst IGP we have had.”
Chair of the Committee Samuel Atta Akyea however cautioned him that if care was not taken the committee sitting would result in a trial of the entire police service.
“Yesterday, we realized that if we are not careful this will be a trial of the entire police service,” Atta Akyea who is also lawmaker for Akim Abuakwa South said.
When COP Alex Mensah appeared before the committee on Thursday, he indicated that although there was no bad blood between him and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare there were professional disagreements between them occasionally at the top level.
COP Alex Mensah described himself as open and forward because “I speak my mind”.
He was captured together with some senior police officers and the former Northern Region Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Daniel Bugri Naabu, in a conversation ostensibly plotting to remove the IGP before the 2024 elections.
The tape had suggested that the IGP was doing the bidding of former President John Dramani Mahama, who has promised to keep him at post.
Though Chief Bugri Naabu confirmed the content of the tape, COP Alex Mensah denied the content saying portions have been “edited”. Notwithstanding, he said he has no issues whatsoever with the current IGP.