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General News on Thursday, March 14, 2019
Source: citinewsroom.com
2019-03-14
President Akufo-Addo receives Judge Emile Short's report
President Nana Akufo-Addo said the government would do its best to implement the recommendations of the Emile Short Commission.
After the presentation of the commission's report on violence at the partial election of Ayawaso West Wuogon, President Akufo-Addo said the government would conduct a thorough badessment.
"The conclusions and recommendations that have been formulated will, of course, receive the greatest possible attention from me, as well as members of my Government."
In his remarks, the President also mentioned the weak possibility that the report would be made public.
"I am not sure, in the circumstances of this commission, that it is a commission that will request the publication of a white paper from us", has-it- he declares.
During the presentation of the report, Judge Emile Short expressed the hope that the recommendations would be implemented.
He told the president: "You will find the conclusions and recommendations useful for defining important reforms for the future".
The mandate of the commission
The mandate of the commission, composed of Judge Emile Short, Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and former IGP Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong was as follows:
1. to conduct an exhaustive, faithful and impartial investigation into the circumstances and facts at the origin of the events and the badociated violence that occurred during the partial election of Ayawaso West Wuogon, the January 31, 2019;
2. Identify anyone responsible or involved in the events, violence and related injuries;
3. investigate any matter that the Board considers to be accidental or reasonably related to the causes of the events, violence and related injuries; and
4. to submit its report to the President within one month, indicating the reasons for its conclusions and recommendations, including the appropriate sanctions, if any.
Ernest Kofi Abotsi served as Secretary of the Commission.
Public hearings
The Commission heard testimony from key witnesses on this issue, including Ningo Prampram MP Sam George; The commander of the SWAT National Security Team, DSP Samuel Azugu; and Delali Kwasi Brempong, NOC parliamentary candidate.
The Commission interviewed more than 20 witnesses and people of interest over a period of three weeks.
The hierarchy of national security in Ghana appeared before the commission during the hearing.
The first three testimonies of the commission were collected by the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery; National Security Minister Albert Kan Dapaah; and State Minister for National Security Bryan Acheampong. The Inspector General of Police also appeared before the commission during his last week.
The chairman of the electoral commission, Jean Mensa, was also questioned about the extent of the commission's commitment to security in the by-election.
Some observers were stunned by revelations highlighting serious flaws in Ghana's security architecture.
A number of critics cited the lack of coordination at the top of the security hierarchy as a major failure.
The level of training of national security personnel was also questioned given the protocols observed on the day of the violence in the by-elections.
During his appearance before the Commission, a member of the National Security, the brilliant Ernest Akomeah, nicknamed Double, who was stationed in La Bawaleshie, revealed that he was recruited to the National Security Council of the country in 2017 after completing a three-week training program.
Prior to the training, he was president of the New Patriotic Party polling station.
Some testimonials like that of DSP Azugu have called into question the basic skills of some security people.
Many Ghanaians were shocked by DSP's testimony and described it as inconsistent and sowed with lies.
DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong, commander of the Accra Regional Police, admitted before the Commission that an officer with the rank of DSP or ASP was not qualified to lead the SWAT national security team.
Members of the Commission also visited the scene of the crime in Ayawaso West and at Military Hospital 37 to interview one of the victims by shooting.
Concerns about non-prosecution
Some observers and critics such as the New Democratic Congress have expressed dismay at the fact that the violence in the by-election has not been treated as a criminal case.
Section 280 (2) of the 1992 Constitution states that "when an inquiry committee renders a decision adverse to a person, the report of the board of inquiry shall be deemed to purposes of this Constitution, be a judgment of the High Court. Court; As a result, the decision of the commission is likely to appeal the decision of the Appeals Board. "
Article 19 (7) also provides: "Anyone who proves to have been tried by a court of competent jurisdiction for a criminal offense and to have been sentenced or acquitted shall not be tried again for that offense or for any other criminal offense of which he may have been victim. have been convicted at trial, except on the order of a superior court, in the course of an appeal or review proceeding relating to the conviction or acquittal. "
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