The presidential commission of inquiry into the Ayawaso by-election violence has recommended the prosecution of a national security operative Mr. Ernest Akomea alias ‘Double’.
During his testimony before the commission, ‘Double’ confessed using an unauthorized weapon during the SWAT team’s operation at the residence of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate.
In its recommendation to President Akufo-Addo, the three-member commission chaired by Justice Emile Short recommended “the criminal prosecution” of the operative “for the unauthorized possession of firearms under section 192(1) of the Criminal Offences Act.”
He was accused by NDC MP for Ningo-Prampram Sam George of firing shots at La Bawaleshie during the melee, but denied the allegations before the Commission. ‘Double’ dominated the headlines when he disclosed he went through a three-week training including crowd control and pound-to-pound combat.
“Yes, I went to Asutsuare for three weeks…We were trained in reading maps, how to speak on the GoTa, pound to pound combat and basic weapons handling. We were also given training in crowd control and handling pressure,” Double said.
REMOVE DSP AZUGU
In a related development, the confidential report in possession of Starrfm.com.gh has also recommended the removal of the commander of the SWAT team at the National Security Council Secretariat, DSP Samuel Kojo Azugu “from command responsibility.”
The report said DSP Azugu failed to “appropriately command and control the SWAT team of which he had charge during the operation at the La Bawaleshie school polling station. It is recommended that he should be reassigned by the IGP.”
REPRIMAND COLONEL OPOKU
Further the Commission which sat for a month, recommended that the head of the SWAT Team Colonel Mike Opoku must be reprimanded “for being ultimately responsible for the outcome of the SWAT operation at the La Bawaleshie School Polling Station.”
“His liability is further reinforced by his failure to properly define the mission for which the SWAT team was sent and ensuring that the SWAT team complied with the defined mission. Further, he failed to conduct an internal inquiry into identifying the culprits of the offence when revelations became rife that there were operational lapses resulting in violations of human rights.
“It is further recommended that Col. Opoku be made to immediately release the weapons used for, as well as the personal [SIC] involved in, the operation to enable ballistic testing and analysis to be undertaken and for further investigations by the police.”
DISBAND SWAT TEAM
Meanwhile, the Commission has also called for the immediate dissolution of the SWAT team at the National security council secretariat.
“The Commission recommends that the SWAT team of the National Security Council Secretariat should be disbanded and operatives be reassigned as appropriate,” the report said.
It added: “The Commission further recommends that support for special operations should be sought from the specialised units of the police directly as and when necessary.”
Also, the Commission recommends “intelligence sharing between relevant agencies where an operation would entail or necessitate inter-agency cooperation” such as by-elections among others.
It further added that the police must be well resourced “so that they can maintain active communication during the entirety of operations. Providing equipment to only the leaders of an operation who cannot be everywhere at once leaves the flank unprotected and this would not inspire confidence in any of them.”
The three-member Commission was tasked to probe the events of the violence which occurred during the Ayawaso-West Wuogon by-election. It started its public hearings at the Christiansborg Castle, Osu, Accra on February 14 and submitted its report on March 14.
Other members of the commission were Mrs Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, legal luminary and jurist, and Mr Patrick K. Acheampong, former Inspector General of Police. Mr Ernest Kofi Abotsi, former Dean of the Faculty of Law, GIMPA and a private legal practitioner, served as Secretary to the Commission.
Source: Starr
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
PROSECUTE DOUBLE? BECAUSE HE IS THE DREG AMONG THE LOT? I THINK THE LOT OF THEM SHOULD ALL BE MADE TO FACE THE FULL RIGOURS OF THE LAW.
THIS IS FAKE NEWS. THIS IS FAKE NEWS FROM STARR. HOW COUD THE COMMISSION MAKE SUCH A RECOMMENDATION WITHOUT PICKING A WORD ON VIGILANTEES BROUGHT FROM TAMALE AND OTHER PLACES. IT WAS AS IF IF IS RIGHT TO COMMIT A CRIME BUT WRONG TO STOP THE INTENDED CRIME. IF GHANA WANTS TO THANK ANYBODY FOR PEACE OF AYAWASO WAGON ELECTION, THEN IT IS TO SUCH PEOPLE LIKE BRYAN ACHEAMPONG, COL OPOKU AND CO. HIS BOOT FOR NDC CHALE-WATE HAS COMPEL ALL IN GHANA TO LOOK AT VIGILANTISM. WITHOUT HIS PROACTIVE ACTION AND REAL EXHIBITION OF STRENGTH NDC WOULD NEVER HAVE AGREED TO ADMIT THE EVIL OF VIGILANTISM, DUE TO THE PRIOR COMMENTS OF ASIEDU MOSQUITO AND CO IN NDC. TALKATIVES LIKE ASOMASI BONA DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. IF FOR ANYTHING BRYANT SHOULD BE THANKED AND PROMOTED. GHANA IS NOW PEACEFUL FOR ALL LIKE MR. BONA TO SPEAK FREELY BECAUSE OF THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT WORK OF BRYANT ACHEAMPONG AND OTHERS.
Prosecute azorka and his boys their names are in the Emile Short Commission report which was given to the president hence it's in the disband vigilante bill before parliament! starrfm for Dr Duffuor ndc former finance minister wouldn't be the best place this report will be leaked to! they just threw it over when the president started his regional tour from Western North to take the shine of Ghanaians enthusiasm to meet the president of the republic Oseadeayo Kantamanto Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo, barima kukudurufuo, barima onsi nsuom na w'aham # Nana mo amu # mo Odehyieba # mo akudonto # mo Oyokoba wo akyere s3 woy3 Ghanani ampa na wo do wo man! Nana you've really shown the love for your country and patriotic to Ghana ! You didn't come to create loo000*0t and share but you came to give it out and in abundance.God Bless You! Enemies and nation wreckers can go burn the ocean
Disband what?swat?then next time when there is trouble we will cal Emile short to defend us.Nonesens,s