AWW C’ssion: I saw Sam George’s Assault On TV – Regional commander

The Greater Accra regional Police commander DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong has disclosed that, he saw the assault that was leveled on Member for Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram constituency, Sam George on National television.

According to him, he was noticed of the violence at the election venue via the media. He explained that ample time is required to structure such formations; by-elections however he continued, come up at very short intervals and hence are not factored as far as creation of taskforces are concerned.

Sam George was seen in a video, being slapped by a security officer on January 31, 2019 during the by-election in the constituency.

There has since been calls for the arrest of the person who slapped the MP for Ningo Prampram. On Monday, February 11 2019, the three-member Commission set up by Akufo-Addo begun work to probe the shooting incidence that occurred during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by election on January 31 2019.

Some masked national security operatives shot and wounded some supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the private residence of the NDC’s candidate which was also close to the La Bawaleshie Presby polling centre.

So far, the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery; National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah and Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, Jean Mensah, EC chair have appeared before the commission to give testimonies of what happened during the by-election which led to about 16 members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) sustaining various degree of injuries.

However, DCOP Adusei Sarpong taking its turn on the Emile Short commission further disclosed that, “For general elections, national security elections taskforce is formed, regional one is formed and district is also formed but it is not same for the by-elections because for the national elections, it is planned and everybody knows that time that the national elections will be held so meetings are held several times and preparations are put in place but it is not the case in by-elections”.

“Because they come at a time nobody expects and when they come, it is incumbent on the regional Commander, together with the electoral officers to quickly plan how the elections should be conducted”, he added.

DCOP Adusei Sarpong further indicated that a total of 761 security personnel were deployed by the police service on the said day for electoral purposes. The number comprising both police and immigration service personnel whom they wrote to for assistance.