A son of the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu, Prophet Emmanuel Teye Bugri Naabu, has featured heavily in the public hearing on the leaked tape of an alleged plot to remove the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
During his testimony at the public hearing, Bugri Naabu claimed that one of the officers implicated in the tape, Superintendent George Lysander Asare, threatened to deal with him after the tape leaked, through his son, Prophet Teye Bugri Naabu.
But Lysander Asare during, his testimony on Monday, September 5, 2023, said that he never did such a thing.
He said that Prophet Teye Bugri Naabu, rather slammed his father in a phone conversation they had, because thought he (his father) was the one who leaked the tape.
“It could be either I who called him or he called me, asking me about what has happened (the leakage of the tape).
“… initially, he knew or he thought, let me choose my words carefully. He thought it was his father that leaked – that recorded us and leaked the tape.
“So, when he called, he condemned his father, for that singular act of his; that you invite people to your office you record them and then put it out into the public domain,” he told the 7-member committee of parliament set up to investigate the matter.
Background:
A leaked audio recording, allegedly involving a Police Commissioner and a politician discussing a plot to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP), George Akuffo Dampare, has ignited public outrage.
In the said video, a Police Commissioner, who described himself as Mensa, was heard with Bugri Naabu, plotting the removal of IGP, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare over fears he will be too firm in the 2024 elections. The Police Commissioner, who is said to be retiring, is heard telling the politician that the IGP is too firm and will not allow machinations in next year’s polls if he is not removed. He further notes that the nature of security the IGP provided during the Assin North by-election shows he will not allow any rigging in the polls.
“This IGP won’t help us. He won’t, he wants everything to be done fairly and we don’t win elections that way. If we don’t remove him, we can’t break the 8, in politics we need machinations and this IGP won’t allow that,” the Police Commissioner is heard saying.
The Parliament of Ghana has set up a 7-member committee to conduct a probe into the leaked tape after calls by the NDC Members of Parliament.
Proponents of the government have however stated that the allegations in the said tape should not be taken seriously because the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has no plans to change IGP Dr Geroge Akuffo Dampare.