Former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, has confirmed the authenticity of the content of a leaked audio tape that purportedly captured a plan to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akufo-Dampare, from his position.
Appearing before the committee to probe the tape on Monday, August 29, He confirmed that the conversation, which sparked controversy, indeed transpired between himself and three other high-ranking police officers.
Bugri Naabu identified the three officers as Commander Asare, Commissioner Mensah and Superintendent Gyebi at the police headquarters.
He further disclosed that the meeting occurred at his office in Osu, even though he could not remember the meeting date.
“My voice is there…well, one Commander Asare, a police commander, but I don’t know which district or which section he commands, but he introduced himself to me when he came to my office that he was a police commander based at the police headquarters…I asked him, where does he know me? He told me that during the time of political campaigns in 2014, 2015, and 2016, I used to come to Wa with the president, the vice president and Alhaji Short. I said that if he says that, then it is true.
“Apart from Commander Asare, there was one man who later joined called COP Mensah, but he is on leave now prior to his retirement, and he was also part of it, and later one Gyebi who is also a police superintendent at the Police Headquarters, also joined through a phone call,” he said.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, set up the special committee following a complaint by the Minority in Parliament.
The Speaker tasked the committee to investigate the authenticity of the leaked audio recording, the conspiracy to remove the current IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and any other matter contained in the audio recording and recommend sanctions to persons found culpable where appropriate.
It is also to make recommendations for reforms where necessary and make such other recommendations and consequential orders as the committee may deem appropriate.
The conversation on the recording suggests solicitations by an unnamed influence-peddling policeman seeking that the current Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, be ousted from office so someone more sympathetic to the cause of the ruling party replaces him.
The whole plot, per the conversation, is to get the police to support the rigging of Election 2024 in favour of the ruling NPP.