Short Commission: ‘I had No motorbikes’ – Sam George

Ningo Prampram lawmaker, Samuel Nartey George has denied claims that he arrived at the La-Bawaleshie polling station in the company of 15 motorbike riders during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

DSP Samuel Kojo Azugu, Commander SWAT Team Unit, National Security Secretariat had earlier disclosed that there was indeed the presence of 15 motorbike riders during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

According to him, they escorted the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Sam George and three other executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“We spotted a convoy of motorbikes and they numbered about 15 and they were coming in a group . . . so it aroused my curiosity and I decided to find out what was going on . . . as they approached . . . but I saw three other vehicles which were being escorted by those bikes and those three vehicles came and parked and the motorbikers disembarked .

“I realized that the first vehicle; Honorable Sam George was in the lead car together with Agbesi Nutsu and the NDC Deputy National Women’s Organizer and another vehicle occupied by Nii Oko Vanderpuiye and another third saloon car . . . I approached and welcomed them . . . I confronted the bikers and asked them what they were coming to do and they said they were coming to protect the ballot and I told them the state had made enough provision for security so they should leave and they did not take lightly to that; they started to banter with me. Eventually, they left and went back of the school building,” DSP Azugu narrated to the Commission.

However Hon Sam George responding to the claims before the Commission of Inquiry probing the Ayawaso-West-Wuogon constituency by-election violence on January 31, Mr. George said those claims are pure fabrication adding that he drove to the election grounds alone in his vehicle.

Mr. George narrated that there were more than 20 gun shots by the masked heavily built men who he said assaulted him and other people during the by-election.

“Honorable Kan Dapaah said I arrived in a car with three people in the car and 15 motorbikers; that is what I want to put on record that I did not appear in that manner at the polling station,” Mr George said on Monday, 25 February 2019.

He added: “Honourable Bryan Acheampong also said that I arrived there alone in my car but with 15 motorbikers. Again, I want to state for emphasis that I arrived alone in my car without bikers.”