The Ghana Police Service says it has suspended the interdiction of its 3 senior officers implicated in the alleged plot to remove the Inspector General of Police.
The Service, in a statement dated September 7, 2023, announced that it had interdicted COP George Alex Mensah, Supt. George Lysander Asare and Supt. Emmanuel Eric Gyebi.
Their interdiction, it said, was to pave way for the commencement of disciplinary proceedings into their conduct regarding the leaked audio tape.
But in another statement issued on same date, the police made a U-turn on its decision.
According to the statement, it has put the interdiction on hold in order not to prejudice the ongoing probe by the Adhoc Committee of Parliament.
“In order not to prejudice the ongoing probe, the police administration has suspended their interdiction”.
It indicated that “the Police Administration would commence disciplinary proceedings into their conduct upon completion of the ongoing probe by Parliament”.
The 3 senior officers are captured in a leaked tape allegedly plotting with former Northern Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to remove the IGP.
They are heard in the tape making damning comments including pushing for Dr. Akuffo-Dampare to be removed and replaced with one of them so that they could aid the governing party clinch onto power in the 2024 Elections.
The content of the leaked tape generated wide public concerns with many calling for a probe into the matter.
Parliament, subsequently, set up an ad hoc committee chaired by MP for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta-Akyea to investigate the issue.
Bugri Naabu, who was the first to appear before the committee, confirmed the authenticity of the tape, stating that he had recorded it to protect the interest of his party.
He also named COP Alex Mensah, Superintendent Asare and Superintendent Emmanuel Gyebi as the police officers he was having the conversation with as captured in the audio tape.
Appearing before the committee, COP Alex Mensah admitted that the voice heard in the tape is his but insisted excerpts of the tape was doctored.
He accused the IGP of masterminding the recording of his conversation with the former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP.
He told the Committee that he had been invited by Bugri Naabu to discuss his possible replacement of Dr. Akuffo-Dampare.
He said it was on the back of that invitation that he went to meet the former NPP Regional Chairman at his office, the discussion of which was secretly recorded.
COP Alex Mensah took issues with the IGP’s handling of the police service, describing him as the worst the country has ever had.
He also criticised Bugri Naabu for secretly recording their conversation.
Superintendent Asare, who also appeared, before the committee, corroborated his claim that Dr. Dampare orchestrated the recording of their discussion with the politician.
He, however, failed to pass a verdict on the performance of the IGP, stating that he could only do so in camera.
More tapes including video recordings have since emerged containing more damning revelations.
