The Commissioner of Police, George Alex Mensah, has revealed that the leaked audio being probed by Parliament contains his voice, but has been edited.
According to him, he could identify some voices in the audio like his, but would not accept its authenticity, he told the Parliamentary Committee investigating the leaked audio recorded by former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Daniel Bugri Naabu.
When pressed by the chairman of the committee, Samuel Atta Akyea, if he was “imputing that someone has doctored your voice,” Commissioner Mensah answered in the affirmative, saying “exactly, Mr. Chairman.”
Commissioner George Alex Mensah,who appeared before the committee yesterday, indicated that many things were in the audio which he did not remember and certain discussions which were not in the audio recording as played.
“What I am saying is that this tape that was played to me today is an edited tape… The tape played today has so many things I don’t remember and there are certain things that were said that are not on the tape,” he added.
He further told the committee that Bugri Naabu, who confessed to recording the conversation for purposes of evidence “came here (to the committee) to lie.”
NO BAD BLOOD
Accompanied by legal counsel, the soon-to-retire Commissioner, who is also a lawyer, admitted to telling Bugri Naabu that the current Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was not managing the service well.
The police officer insisted that he could repeat that anywhere.However, he remarked that he had no personal issues with Dampare, the IGP.
“Honourable Chair, I will not deny that fact today, tomorrow, or the next day. I will make that statement again: the current Inspector General of Police is not managing the police service well.
“It’s something I’ll not run away from. I’ll say it everywhere and anywhere that I go and you can do your own investigations. Call police officers underground and find out from them,” he insisted.
He continued, “I don’t have any bad blood with him, but what I do is speak my mind, whether you like it or not. If you’re my boss and you do what I don’t like, I will tell you plain and simple. If you hate me for that, it is your problem.”
PRELIMINARY OBJECTION
The counsel for Commissioner George Alex Mensah had earlier raised some preliminary objections.
He was concerned about some statements purported to have been made in public spaces by some members of the committee -James Agalga and Peter LancheneToobu, which in his opinion were biased and prejudicial.
The plea was that those members be excluded from the committee before their client could be heard.
The vice chair of the committee, James Agalga, was reported to have said that the discussions contained in the leaked audio were treasonous, whilst Peter Torbu was also said to have invoked hellfire for the persons involved in the discussion.
However, James Agalga rebutted that he made those statements on the floor of the House when the issue was raised. Peter Torbu denied ever making such a statement.
The chairman of the committee, Atta Akyea, ruled that he could not decide on the membership of the committee as it was the sole prerogative of the Speaker.
However, he advised the counsel to provide documentary evidence to back the claims. The proceedings continued thereafter.
I DON’T KNOW HIM
Meanwhile, Superintendent Emmanuel Gyebi Asare, whose name was mentioned by Bugri Naabu at the committee sitting that he was to join him to meet the president, denied those assertions.
Superintendent Gyebi appeared shocked to have heard his name in the matter, when he had “never” set eyes on or had any communications whatsoever with Bugri Naabu.
“I don’t know him (Chief Bugri Naabu), I don’t have his number and I have never met him before,” he denied his involvement.
Bugri Naabu had told the committee that Superintendent George Asare had informed him that Gyebi would replace him to meet the president since he and Asare had traveled.
However, Gyebi told the committee that when he called Asare to ask about that claim by Bugri Naabu, Asare said it was not true.
The committee sitting continues today with Commissioner Alex Mensah, and Supt. Asare, but Gyebi was discharged yesterday.
