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The issue surrounding the purported attempt to remove the current Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has grown as a result of several new recordings that have appeared on social media.
Bugri Naabu, the former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, can be seen on the new cassettes, which also contain video recordings, having chats with unidentified people about various ideas.
One of the tapes shows Bugri Naabu in his office as someone accuses him of underpaying him and others in a contract kickback scheme.
“Ben Kofi received the contract, and Ben Kofi presented it to him. Therefore, neither he nor I am aware that IGP awarded him the contract.
Look at what they are currently telling me to prove that that contract didn’t arrive.
“Under this particular arrangement, Ben Kofi was awarded the position and he also plans to rent it to him… Consequently, tell me: Are you withholding any funds for me to distribute to the boys?
“Since you mentioned receiving calls from even the vice president’s office, I contacted you. I don’t know how they got your number, but I contacted your sister, who informed me that the contract was prepared and that production will now begin.
“Now, I went to IG (Inspector General), IG too says the contract is completed. If you don’t want trouble, bring the money for me to give to the boys. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee you, the problem can come.
“So he told me that, today is Monday, he said today he is going to meet Ben Kofi, the person the contract was awarded to, they will discuss it and see if they can get some money,” Bugri Naabu is heard stating in one of the videos in a setting that looks like his office said to be located at Osu.
While the context of the aforementioned video is not entirely clear, one of three senior police officers accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate Dr. Dampare claimed during an appearance before a parliamentary committee that the current IGP and Bugri Naabu had a business relationship.
Superintendent George Asare said that the chief had benefited from several contracts from the police department while testifying before a committee of parliament investigating a leaked tape in which he and a Commissioner of Police are talking to Naabu about replacing the IGP.
According to him, the IGP forced Bugri Naabu to record a confidential conversation between himself and other top police officers, and the recording was later released. He claimed that because of their friendship, the IGP was able to do so. “He has lied on several occasions. I have Alhaji Bugri Naabu on tape, everything he came to say here, on video in his office. His relationship with IGP and contracts, 40,000 boots contract…” he spilled before being stopped in his tracks by the chairman of the committee, Samuel Atta-Akyea.
During his statement before the parliamentary committee, Bugri Naabu acknowledged that he had pushed for Dr. Dampare to be appointed IGP.
Bugri Naabu is a police employee.
Bugri Naabu is heard confessing to working with the Ghana Police Service in another version of the new tapes.
He made the statement in response to a denial from an unnamed person who had accused him of working for Dr. Akuffo Dampare. “Chairman, let me tell you today, the reason why I set a lady for you is, the day we came to ask you about the CV you told us that you are not getting anything with Dampare and we made our investigation, Dampare is paying you… he is paying you GHC10,000,” he stated.
Bugri Naabu disputed the assertion and emphasized that the police department was the one paying him GHC10,000 per month to act as an informant.
Don’t tell me he pays me GHC 10,000; the cops are the ones who pay me. I have no idea. The police pay me GHC10,000 for the security services I perform in my capacity as paramount chief, and they inform me that whenever there is an issue, I report it to them.
However, his accuser insisted that the IGP, not the police department, was responsible for the alleged payment.
Following a discussion over the matter, Bugri Naabu dared the person who was accusing him to actually destroy him if he so desired.
Background
Last month, a number of senior police officers were captured in a leaked tape courting the support of Bugri Naabu to oust the current Inspector-General of Police from office.
According to the officers who identified as sympathizers of the ruling New Patriotic Party, the presence of Dr Dampare in office is a threat to the party’s ability to win the 2024 election.
Appearing before a parliamentary committee that has since been investigating the leaked tape, Bugri Naabu admitted to recording his conversations with the police officers to present to President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo as evidence of the plot.
However according to one of the officers involved in the tape, Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah the recording was at the behest of Dr Dampare who ended up leaking their conversation with Bugri Naabu. On September 9, 2023, the Ghana Police Service said that it has detained all of the officers who were on the tape that had been leaked.
In relation to the audio cassette that is the focus of Parliament’s investigation, “The Police Service has interdicted Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr. George Alex Mensah, Superintendent Mr. Emmanuel Eric Gyebi, and Superintendent Mr. George Lysander Asare.
According to the police statement, “The interdiction is to make way for disciplinary proceedings into their conduct in accordance with Police Service regulations.”
Source:Radiooneghana.com/EWURAA
