The Commissioner of Police, COP Alex Mensah is alleging that the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare is always in contact with former President John Mahama.

Speaking on his second day before the ad-hoc committee probing the alleged plot to remove the IGP, COP Alex Mensah said he knew about this based on his intelligence.

He did not say the sort of conversation the two have been having.

“Yes, I said it,” he confirmed after a portion of the transcribed leaked tape was read to him on Friday, September 1.

“Mr Chair, my intelligence shows that he does it,” he maintained after the Vice Chair, James Agalga put it to him that he had no information and the allegation was based on a figment of his imagination.

Vice Chair: So the IGP is always talking to former President Mahama? You know that for a fact?

COP Alex Mensah: That is from my intelligence.

He, however, failed to share the intelligence with the committee.

COP Alex Mensah also turned down an offer to share the information in an in-camera hearing.

The Commissioner of Police also said the current IGP is the worst the country has ever had.

According to him, with the IGP at the helm of affairs of the Police Administration, the Service is headed in the wrong direction.

“Honourable member and honourable chair, what I said yesterday, if you give me the opportunity today, I will say it again. For me, for the 31 years I have been in the Service, he [Dr George Akuffo Dampare] is the worst IGP ever,” he said.

• Dr Akuffo Dampare is the worst IGP ever – COP Alex Mensah

“Honourable Chair, I will not deny that fact today, tomorrow or the next day, I will make that statement again, that the current Inspector General of Police is not managing the Police Service well.”

Meanwhile, the lawyer cum Chartered Accountant said he has been lobbying to be made the Inspector General of Police (IGP) since 2017.

He insisted that even though he has not been successful at that, he has not given up on that desire.

The policeman also confirmed to the committee that he’s a sympathiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party.

“I gave my CV to someone to give to Bugri Naabu for him to lobby for me to be appointed the IGP. We all lobby. I started lobbying in 2017.

Background

On July 25, the Speaker of Parliament named Abuakwa South MP, Samuel Atta-Akyea as the chairperson of a 7-member ad-hoc committee to probe the recently leaked controversial audio in which voices are heard clandestinely plotting to oust the Inspector General of Police.

The viral audio, which revealed a supposed conspiracy by a senior police officer and a leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare from office, resulted in a debate on the floor of Parliament with the Minority calling for a forensic audit.

Subsequently, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin proposed the setting up of the Special Committee.

Mr. Bagbin asked the committee to submit its report by September 10, 2023.