Accra, Sept 19, GNA - Private Investigations into the date of birth of Dr Kofi Kesse Manfo, former Deputy Inspector General of Police (IGP), Operations has revealed that his date of birth was altered to get him out of the Police Service.
The report said Dr. Manfo was born on the 21st of July 1950 and not on 23rd July 1947 as stated in the Police Source Book containing records of senior police staff, which was used as reference to ask him to proceed on retirement.
Presenting the report at a press conference in Accra, Reverend Kwarteng Amaning, Executive Director, Gospel Evangelical Crusades and Providence Foundation, an non-governmental organisation (NGO), Ghana (GOEVAC-PFG) said the former Deputy IGP should therefore be reinstated to his position to serve his full term.
He said his date of birth was changed without his consent or approval in the source book in December 2003, when a new source book was prepared by someone whom Rev Kwarteng declined to either mention his name or state the reasons behind his intentions for security reasons.
Rev Amaning told Journalists that GOEVAC-PFG, which was committed to truth and nationalism decided to voluntarily conduct investigations without any influence to ascertain the truth on Dr Manfo's actual age. He said the investigation revealed that Dr Manfo was born at Achiase in the Eastern Region on 21st July 1950, adding that further contact with his elementary school within the same town also attested that his father registered him with the same date in the school register. He stated that all school registers from his elementary school conformed with 21st July 1950 until Dr Manfo entered form one of middle school when his teacher asked Manfo to change his date to 23rd July 1949, which according to the teacher fell on Friday to correspond with his name, Kofi.
According to the report, Dr Manfo was compelled to use 23rd July 1949 as given out by his teacher even until he entered the teaching training college and further proceeded to enlist into the Police Service in 1979. He said all records and documents of Dr Manfo maintained 23rd July 1949 as his date of birth, adding that even a diplomatic passport prepared for the former Deputy IGP by the Police Service for him to go the United Kingdom all stated 23rd July 1949 as what he used to enter into the Public Service.
Rev Amaning mentioned some factors, which he said, called for deep insight to find out the whole truth surrounding the controversy. He said investigations showed that the source book, which had the staff list of senior Police Officers said to have been prepared long before Dr Manfo's enlistment had the same ink and handwriting and did not follow chronological order.
This, he said, meant that for the past 23 years, the same person has been recording the names of officers in the source book with the same pen, adding that the fact that Dr Manfo's name appeared before that of other colleagues who enlisted before him was unusual. The Executive Director said 12 retired officers did not also have their date of birth attached to their names in the source book, which, he said, could mean that the one who prepared the source book did it recently and therefore could not have access to those dates because the officers had retired.
He said the source book also recorded the name of the former deputy IGP as Dr K.K Manfo, whereas he entered the Service with a first degree and all documents attached should have used the title " Mr " instead of " Dr".
" Some personnel also told our investigation team that there was nothing like a source book when they were enlisted into the Police and therefore did not know where the book was coming from," he added Rev Amaning urged government to take immediate measures to reinstate him by using the 23rd July 1949 he gave out, even if it would not take the actual date of 21st July 1950" in order for him to benefit fully in accordance with the Public Service Act 252.
He said government should also conduct a forensic examination to ascertain the handwriting and how long the book has been in the registry in order to ensure justice.
The Executive Director said they have copies of documents and voices on tapes to prove the authenticity of their finding and would be ready to assist with further investigations into the matter when called to do so.
The Police Council in a letter dated August 24, 2007 and signed by the IGP, Mr Patrick K. Acheampong directed Dr Manfo to retire with effect from September 1, 2007.
Dr Manfo, who was said to be initially not happy with the directive later complied.
