Ofosu-Ampofo charged with conspiracy to kidnap, threat of harm

The?docket on the case in which the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has been charged by the police has been sent to the Attorney-General (A-G) for advice and further action.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo and two other executive members of the NDC — the National Communications Officer, Mr Sammy Gyamfi, and a Deputy Communications Officer, Mr Kwaku Boahen — have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit crime, to wit, threat of harm.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the CID, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Juliana Obeng, following the charge, the police had asked the three NDC officials to cease reporting themselves to the CID Headquarters.

Leaked tape

A leaked audio purported to be the voice of Mr Ofosu-Ampofo in a meeting with NDC communicators had him saying: “We’re going to take her [Chairperson of the Electoral Commission] to the cleaners.”

“As for the EC Chair, we must wage a relentless war on this EC Chair. Me, she doesn’t want to see my face,” Mr Ofosu-Ampofo is alleged to have said.

In the audio, he also gave his blessing to the party communicators to insult the Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, the Chairman of the National Peace Council.

“For the first time, I’ll endorse insulting the National Peace Council Chair,” he said.

The alleged meeting between Mr Ofosu-Ampofo and NDC communicators was aimed at planning strategies ahead of the 2020 general election.

When the issue of the leaked tape went viral, the NDC described it as concocted and false.

NDC statement

A statement signed by Mr Gyamfi and released by the party dismissed the authenticity of the said tape and accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and some members of the government of being the masterminds behind the tape.

The NDC, therefore, urged the public to disregard the said audio, which had gone viral, and “treat all of its content with the contempt it deserves”.

Later, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was invited by the CID to speak to the leaked tape.

Although the CID issued a press statement explaining that it had invited the NDC Chairman to assist the police with investigations into the leaked tape, his lawyers showed up at the CID Headquarters to explain that their client did not receive any official invitation until later.

Warrant of arrest

After twice failing to honour the invitation, the police decided to obtain a court warrant for his arrest to answer questions relating to his alleged comments on the leaked tape.

The NDC?Chairman finally showed up at the CID Headquarters for interrogation over the leaked audio, accompanied by a high-powered delegation of lawyers and bigwigs of the NDC.