General News of Friday, 10 May 2019

Source: thechronicle.com.gh

Suspects name Ofosu-Ampofo in grand scheme designed to cause fear & panic in the country - Police

Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, CID Director General Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, CID Director General

The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, who is currently standing trial over the contents of a leaked audio recording, has, once again, been invited to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters for questioning. This time, the questioning will be based on a different subject.

According to a statement signed by the Director-General of the CID, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, some persons who were picked up by her outfit to assist in the investigation into the recent market fires and others had implicated him.

“The CID of the Ghana Police Service has commenced investigations into cases of kidnapping and fire outbreaks in various part of the country.

“Intelligence gathered indicates that some of these kidnappings and fire outbreaks are being orchestrated by various unidentified groups, persons and individuals.

“Some of these persons picked up for interrogation have mentioned your name as part of a grand scheme designed to cause fear and panic in the country.

“As a result of the above information and intelligence, you are kindly requested to report the undersigned on Thursday to assist in our investigations,” the CID letter stated.

A few months ago, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was invited by the CID over a leaked audio recording.

In the audio, a voice, suspected to be that of Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo, was heard outlining plans to fight vigilante groups aligned to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of the 2020 elections with vigilante groups aligned to the NDC.

The alleged voice of the NDC Chairman also threatened verbal attacks on the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Mensa.

The Chairman, who got unflinching backing from his party, denied that the audio recording was his voice.

Addressing party supporters in Accra after a ‘Thank You’ Health Walk after the presidential primary, Ofosu-Ampofo said he had been in politics for a long time and has no record of engaging in violence.

“I want to assure you that I am a man of peace, and my hands are clean. I have been in politics for almost thirty years, and there is no evidence that I have involved myself in any violence or spoken against anybody,” he asserted.

According to him, their main contender, the ruling NPP, cannot sleep because of him, Ofosu-Ampofo, as the Chairman of the NDC.

He touted what was supposed to be some changes the NDC was witnessing under his chairmanship, which, he claimed, was scaring the NPP and leaving them with nightmares, going into 2020.

These claims, however, didn’t stop the CID from charging the Chairman, together with Deputy Communications Officer Mr Kwaku Boahen, on four counts, including conspiracy to commit harm and threat of harm, threat of rioting, and assault of public official.