The Chairman of the parliamentary committee probing the leaked tape in which some senior police officers are heard in a conversation with the former Northern regional chairman of the NPP Bugri Naabu, plotting the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare.
During the hearing convened on Thursday, August 31, the committee encountered objections raised by the legal representatives of the senior police officers implicated in the leaked tape.
Counsel to the police officers, including COP George Alex Mensah, Superintendent Asare, and Superintendent Emmanuel Gyebi, expressed concerns about the participation of two Members of Parliament, Peter Toobu Lanchene and James Agalga, on the Adhoc committee.
Derrick Owusu Boateng, the lawyer representing the police officers, argued that Lanchene and Agalga had made public statements that could potentially compromise their impartiality during the proceedings.
Boateng contended that these comments might prejudice the officers’ fair treatment during the investigation.
Despite repeated attempts to push for the removal of Lanchene and Agalga from the committee, Atta Akyea, the committee’s chairman, asserted that the alleged comments did not taint the committee’s investigative integrity.
Atta Akyea reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring a fair and unbiased process, assuring Boateng that the witnesses’ rights would be upheld as long as he remained at the helm of the committee.
Mr. Naabu on Monday confirmed the veracity of the contentious audio when he appeared before the committee.
The leaked audio captured an alleged plot to oust the Inspector General of Police (IGP) George Akuffo-Dampare ahead of the 2024 polls.