Emile Short Commission resumes sitting today
The Emile Short Commission will resume sitting today after adjourning last week Wednesday ahead of the President’s State of the Nation Address.
The Citi Breakfast Show‘s Bernard Avle and Good Evening Ghana’s Paul Adom Ochere are expected to give testimony today.
The Director of Operations at National Security, Colonel Michael Opoku is also expected to return before the commission to provide further information after his appearance last Wednesday.
The commission is probing the incident of violence at a polling station during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensah; Minister of State in charge of National Security, Byran Acheampong, East Legon District Police Commander; National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah; Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, NDC aspirant; Delali Brempong, among others, have already appeared before the commission.
At least six persons, all members of National Democratic Congress, sustained gunshot wounds when armed personnel from the National Security SWAT apparatus stormed a polling station at La Bawaleshie during the by-election.
The personnel were seen brutalising some citizens during the by-election in video footage, sparking outrage.
A legislator, Sam George was also assaulted by one of the national security operatives on the day of the by-election.
So far, indications are that the SWAT team was in the area because of intelligence pointing towards a cache of arms being stored in the home of the NDC candidate, Delali Brempong.
The Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, had also said the men were deployed as part of a special operation that was not related to the election.
But the mission was aborted, according to the SWAT Commander, DSP Samuel Azugu, whose testimony before the commission has been widely criticised and ridiculed.
The SWAT team maintains the shots first came from the home of the NDC candidate and it responded with six warning shots.
Mr. Brempong, while testifying before the commission, however, said there were no weapons in his home and added that there was evidence of more than 10 gunshots fired towards his home.
His lawyers requested to cross-examine some persons who had already appeared before the commission. But the Commission deferred ruling on the request.
–
Source: citinewsroom