Taped deputy CID boss seeks escape route

Deputy Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, is seeking a convenient escape to flee from her unprofessional conduct in the investigation involving the two Deputy Chiefs-of-Staff accused of corruption by Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly called Kwame A-Plus, an activist of the governing New Patriotic Party( NPP).

According to ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, the secret tape making rounds on social media, indicating that she covered up the corruption claims against Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor, despite CID investigation at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital proving otherwise, has been doctored; a line often used by Ghanaian politicians any time they are secretly taped.

In the tape, the musician, is heard being appealed to by the female police investigator to “manage” the corruption claims he had levelled against two Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Abu Jinapor, saying the revelation from Korle Bu on the matter, had made even her sick.

“As for the corruption aspect of it, from what you said and what we have gone to confirm, you wouldn’t be too far from right to say that this is what happened. But we need to manage; the people are your people. We need to find the best way that Korle-Bu works the way we all want it to work.’’

From the CID headquarters in Accra, The Herald has confirmed the voice as that of ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah.

But she is rather accusing the controversial musician, of a deliberate attempt to destroy her hard earned reputation with a doctored tape. She, however, admitted speaking to A-Plus on phone on the matter.

Politicians, including Nana Akufo-Addo, Yaw Osafo Marfo, NPP’s Sammi Awuku, Anthony Karbo, Kofi Adams and Baba Jamal of the NDC, have at various times hidden behind a “doctored tape” tape to flee from a damning secret recordings in which their voices were unambiguous.

About five years ago, the General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr. Mensa Otabil, also fled from his taped sermon, in which he and insisted that Education cannot be free, saying the tape was manufactured by the Mahama government to undo Nana Akufo-Addo Free Education promise.

A statement signed by COP Bright Oduro, Director General of CID of the Ghana Police Service, issued on behalf of the CID, exonerated the two; Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor, of any wrongdoing after President Akufo-Addo, referred the corruption matter against the Flagstaff House officials to them for investigations.

However, the audiotape in question, which has been widely circulated on social media, suggests there was a cover-up.

In that audiotape, a female interlocutor is heard telling a male character on the other end of the line that: “…As for the corruption aspect of it, from what you said and what we’ve gone to confirm, you wouldn’t be too far from right to say that this is what happened, but we need to manage… the people are your people. We need to find the best way to ensure that Korle Bu works the way we all want it to work.

But ACP Tiwaa Addo-Danquah in a statement, said though she had a 59 seconds phone conversation with A Plus, she never stated that the report was concocted to clear the two deputy Chiefs of Staff.

“I wish to categorically and emphatically state that I have never intimated to A Plus in any conversation whatsoever that I believed that his allegations of corruption against the two senior government officials had been confirmed following our investigations”.

A Plus, had alleged that the two Deputy Chiefs of Staff were engaged in thievery and corruption at the Flagstaff House. Indeed, he called the “Deputy Thieves of Staff”.

The President, who had vowed to subject all his appointees to strict corruption investigations, instructed the police CID to investigate the allegations leveled against the two.

The statement signed by CID boss Bright Oduro, had described as baseless and unsubstantiated claims of thievery and corruption leveled against the duo, adding that their intervention in a Korle Bu Teaching Hospital deal “was transparent, borne out of the protection of public interest and consistent with their duties as Chiefs of Staff.”

But on Wednesday, September 27, social media was awash with an audio conversation between A Plus, indicating that the police report was geared towards whitewashing messers Abu Jinapor and Asenso Boakye.

In the said tape, the senior Police officer, is heard telling A Plus that “as for the corruption aspect of it, from what you said and what we’ve gone to confirm, you wouldn’t be too far from right to say that this is what happened, but we need to manage…the people are your people. We need to find the best way to ensure that Korle Bu works the way we all want it to work.”

Speaking on Starr Midday News yesterday, ACP Addo-Danquah, confirmed to host Kweku Obeng Adjei that, she had a 59 seconds phone conversation with A Plus, but never stated that the report was concocted to clear the two Deputy Chiefs of Staff.

She claims that, A Plus, has deliberately doctored their phone conversation to tarnish her hard-won reputation.

“I feel pained by this calculated and dastardly attempt to soil my reputation and I condemn same in no terms. In spite of this to distract me from my work, I remain a committed Police Officer who will fight and expose crime wherever I find it and regardless of who is involved,” ACP Addo-Danquah said.

On the leaked tape, the senior police officer was heard advising the musician to deny the allegations, retract it because he is a member of the ruling party.

“As for the corruption aspect of it, from what you said and what we have gone to confirm, you wouldn’t be too far from right to say that this is what happened”.

But we need to manage; the people are your people. We need to find the best way that Korle-Bu works the way we all want it to work.’’ At this point, the musician interjected and added that we need to also find a way to ensure that ‘’our government’’ too works.

A-Plus said he was looking forward to a situation, where the premier hospital and the government will work effectively.

The senior police officer, added that she felt sad for President Akufo-Addo, because he has good intentions, but he is going to achieve them.

However, reacting to the said audio in an interview on Accra based Kasapa FM, A Plus, denied ever recording a police officer and leaking it to exonerate himself.

“I have not leaked any tape or even recorded any police officer. I have not had the chance to listen to any tape suggesting I was the one and so there is no way I can own that voice.

“The tape is inaudible to me, I couldn’t hear a thing as you played it. The voices sound more like the chatter of ghosts,” A-Plus told the host, adding: “So give me up to tomorrow morning to listen to the tape then I’m sure I can confirm its content to the people of Ghana.

“I’ll come and tell the whole country tomorrow morning whether it is true or not, but what you just played on radio was so inaudible to me, I didn’t hear a thing,” A-Plus insisted.

According to him, after he made those allegations and was invited by the police, he has received numerous calls from police officers, but cannot state categorically that the tape circulating on social media is indeed his voice.

“Yes, I made allegations against the two deputy chiefs of staff. I was invited by the police and was interrogated and at a point in time received calls but how can I be the owner when I have not even recorded any police officer” he cried.

A Plus, who claims to stand by his corruption allegations against the two government officials, asked Ghanaians not to draw into conclusion, since the police have already cleared the two officials.

“Ghanaians should not jump into conclusion and not put any police officer into trouble, because I have not recorded any police officer. Though they have cleared the two, I still stand by the claims” he indicated.