New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North has challenged the admissibility of the leaked tape seeking the ouster of the Inspector-Generl of Police, George Akuffo Dampare.

Andy Appiah-Kubi is concerned about whether the Samuel Atta Akyea parliamentary committee had the mandate to admit the tape or not.

“Did the term of reference require the admissibility or otherwise?” he wondered during a discussion on TV3 (September 2, 2023).

The two main witnesses before the committee, Bugri Naabu and Commissioner of Police, George Alex Mensah have spoken to the authenticity of the tape on which the voice of the two feature prominently.

Bugri told the committee that the entire reccording was done by himself and that it was authentic in its entirety.

In the case of COP Mensah, he insists that the tape is doctored and that the IGP masterminded the recording and also caused it to be leaked.

On his part, lawyer Martin Kpebu, explained why the tape had an almost 100% admissibility stating that it will be “admitted anywhere, anytime” because it borders on public interest.

He cited a ruling by the Supreme Court on the matter of private recording observing, however, that it is on a “case by case” basis.

About the committee

The Committee, which has up to September 10 2023 to report back to the House, is made up of three members each from the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, and a technical person.

Mr Naabu also the Paramount Chief of Namong in the North East Region in the Mamprugu Kingdom during his appearance at the public hearing by the Committee cited three Police officers as engaging in the conversation.

Three Police officers, Commissioner of Police, George Alex Mensah, Superintendent George L. Asare and Superintendent Emmanuel Eric Gyebi were cited by Mr Naabu, a former Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, as the ones he engaged in the conversation with at his office in Osu.

Meanwhile, COP Mensah, also a former Director General in charge of Technical, Ghana Police Service, in his Thursday, August 31 and Friday, September 1, 2023 appearances before the Committee denied the authenticity of the audio.

He alleged that IGP Dampare leaked the tape and as such had the original copy.

The committee is chaired by Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South with Mr James Agalga, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa North as the Vice-Chairman.

It has Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, NPP MP for Okaikwei Central; Madam Ophelia Mensah, NPP MP for Mfantseman; Mr Eric Opoku, NDC MP for Asunafo South and Mr Peter Lanchene Tuobu, NDC MP for Wa West as members of the Committee.

While Dr Isaac Lartey Annang, a lawyer and a human rights activist, is a technical person appointed by Mr Bagbin.

SARA