Alban Bagbin
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has intervened in the ongoing discord within the parliamentary committee tasked with investigating the alleged plot to remove the Commissioner of Police George Akufo Dampare.
Chairman Bagbin directed the committee to reconvene and finalise the investigation following differences among members over the completion of the final report.
“It is clear that the committee has not completed its work… I suspend further consideration of the matter and request that the committee consider the matter further,” Chairman Bagbin said in his ruling on Thursday.
He stressed that the impasse between the committee’s chairman, Mr Samuel Atta Akuya, and his deputy, Mr James Arugaru, was preventing productive discussions needed to reach an informed decision.
Given the contentious nature of the internal dispute, Speaker Bagbin issued a gag order on all members of Parliament.
He instructed lawmakers to refrain from making public comments on the issue in order to uphold parliamentary decorum and facilitate a constructive resolution process.
Chairman Samuel Atta Akyah defended the commission’s position on the need to investigate allegations of extrajudicial killings involving the Commissioner of Police, stressing the need for a comprehensive investigation to be conducted to ensure impartiality and thoroughness.
He expressed frustration and questioned the propriety of pursuing further investigations if some members were deeming key aspects of the investigation unimportant.
The committee’s latest report dated July 2, 2024, highlighted professional misconduct by three police officers investigated, including COP George Alex Mensah, Superintendent Asare and Superintendent Gyebi. Of particular note, two police officers were referred to the Privileges Committee for providing false information during their interactions with the investigation team.
Vincent Kubi
