Dampare's tape: Atta Akyea urges MPs to reject ad hoc committee report

The Chairman of the ad hoc committee investigating a leaked tape purportedly plotting the removal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has criticized the committee's report, calling it "anaemic" and lacking the substance needed for Parliamentary action.

Samuel Atta Akyea, who chaired the committee, stated that the report, which he did not sign, concluded that three senior police officers COP Alex George Mensah, Supt. George Lysander Asare, and Supt. Emmanuel Eric Gyebi had misconducted themselves, a major offence under police regulations.

The report recommended that the officers be sanctioned according to police disciplinary procedures.

However, during a debate on the report in Parliament, Atta Akyea urged his colleagues to reject the committee’s findings due to its lack of logical foundation.

“I want to submit with the greatest of respect that this report reduced Parliament and the good committee of Parliament to a conveyor belt that anything they drop on it should go.

"You do not just listen to people who come before a committee and that will bring you to a conclusion of the matter. You delve into the matters. A committee of Parliament is not a conveyor belt. They’re supposed to delve into this matter.

“It lacks substance for plenary to find, with the greatest of respect, any decision on it and to uphold this report. Yes. And I urge this House to reject this report because there is no foundation of evidence for this report. And we shouldn’t make a resolution based on such an anaemic report,” citinewsroom.com quoted him to have said.

The Vice Chairman of the ad hoc committee, James Agalga, however, countered that Atta Akyea’s comments misrepresented the facts.

"Mr. Speaker, quite a number of issues have been raised, which constitutes a gross misrepresentation of the facts and of the report," Agalga said.

He explained that during the committee’s deliberations, the chairman had the opportunity to raise his arguments, particularly regarding the definition of conspiracy under Section 23 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act.

AM/BB

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