IGP leaked tape: Draft report in circulation not my Committee’s report – Atta Akyea

Samuel Atta Akyea, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee that investigated the leaked audio tape plotting the removal of the Inspector-General of Police, has discredited the draft report in circulation purporting to emanate from his committee.

The media has widely published news from the said draft report which claimed the investigative committee recommended prosecution of the three Police officers, caught on the leaked tape, COP Alex Mensah, Supt. George Lysander Asare and Supt. Eric Emmanuel Gyebi.

The report further claimed the committee while clearing the IGP Dr. George Akuffo Dampare of any wrongdoing said the three other officers must be charged for perjury.

Portions of the alleged draft report of the committee obtained by the media said: “The three senior police officers namely, COP Alex Mensah, Supt. George Lysander Asare and Supt. Eric Emmanuel Gyebi involved in the conspiracy to remove the IGP should be referred for further investigation and possible prosecution for perjury under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) and professional misconduct under the Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350) and the Police Service Regulations, 2012, (C.I. 76).

But Lawyer Atta Akyea who is also the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South speaking on the Starr Midday News with Naa Dedei Tettey stated that the said draft report has been improvised.

He added that the Committee views the circulation of this report very seriously and will investigate how it got out.

“This is one of the very serious matter we need to investigate. because at the end of the day the committee has not even converged on the key issues and also what we are supposed to do and so it is work in progress. So for anybody to put this thing out there as the committee report is a serious matter of consequence and we need to look into it seriously. We have to investigate the source of this document because it is clear contempt of Parliament for anybody to improvise a document and attribute it to the work of the committee. The committee is even waiting for the draft report which the clerks will bring to us and then we look at it and dot the Is and cross the Ts and see the logic of what we are about to sign. The Chairman of the Committee and the Clerk will sign and that is when the Committee owns the document and we can put it before the plenary. So what we are seeing is very improvised and con job. It is not good for our democracy.”

Hon. Atta Akyea further added that the Committee has not gotten to point where it will even make recommendations among others.

“The substance of what we are supposed to do will be captured by the clerk. They will look at the evidence, the recordings and tease out the substance of what we are supposed to do and the remit of the committee. They will then submit the draft report to the committee that I chair. We will look at the report and then because it is very sensitive we’ll see whether it captures the essence of the proceedings and conclusion, then I sign it off together with the Clerk then it becomes the Committee report. What is in circulation whoever improvised it, I mean it is distasteful.”