By-election violence: Sam George demands live telecast of Short Commission

The Minority in Parliament are demanding a live telecast proceedings of the Justice Emil Short Commission which has been tasked to investigate the Ayawaso West Wuogoun by-election violence.

According to them this will make them appear before the Commission to give their full account of what happened at the La-Bawaleshie centre in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.

Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and a key witness to the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence, Sam George Nettey explained that he will appear before the Commission on the condition that it will be a live telecast or he would be allowed to do his own personal recording of his account.

"If the Commission refuses to allow recordings of the proceedings, then, I will not appear before the Commission," he insisted.

"Like we have said previously, there are enough evidence out there to the Commission, so why will they want to invite us again. We have presented our evidence to the police and given names of some of these suspects who were involved in the act. So why are they acting as if they don't know what they are doing," he asked.

The Emile Short Commission which is mandated to investigate the violence that characterized the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election began sitting today, Thursday, 14th February, 2018.

In a release Tuesday, the Commission notified the general public “inviting the submission of relevant memoranda to aid in the investigation and for the effective conclusion of its work.”

Secretary to the Commission, Kofi Abotsi said the evidence is not designed to fit any legal specification or form.

He said the commission is expecting narratives that will give it specific information to aid in the ultimate investigation which the commission has been mandated to undertake.

“Any material that is audiovisual, video or audio or in written form or any material in any character that will aid in the investigation is welcomed.

“We don’t have any restrictions we will admit every evidence to the extent that the evidence aids in the investigations. As an inquisitorial body, the commission is interested in anything that aids in its inquisition,” he said.

Mr Abotsi said they are to investigate the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the by-election with the hope that their recommendation will be able to rectify for good thuggery and election-related violence.

According to him, the Commission won’t be restricted to only the Ayawaso West Wuogon violence although the evidence expected will be confined to it.