I was not aware of SWAT operation at Ayawaso – IGP

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu has told the Justice Emile Short Commission that he was not aware that the office of National Security was going to deploy a SWAT team around the private residence of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Mr Delali Kwasi Brempong on the day of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

“I did not know about it,” Mr Asante-Apeatu told the Commission when asked if his office had prior knowledge about the operations of the masked men on the said day.

The National Security has said it had intelligence that the NDC candidate had stockpiled arms in his private residence on the day of the election on January 31, 2019 and, therefore, stormed his residence which is situated close to the La-Bawaleshie polling centre on the day of the poll.

The SWAT team fired at a crowd that had gathered in front of the candidate’s house and had prevented them [SWAT] from entering the residence.

The shooting temporarily disrupted the by-election at the polling station.

Thugs

However, Mr Asante-Apeatu told the commission that the National Security Council had information that the NDC had put thugs in buses from the north and were going to deploy them at Ayawaso during the by-election.

Source: Graphic online