Opposition MP Sam Dzata George has explained circumstances leading to his assault as violence broke out during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election last month.

According to him, all he did was ask a car bucket load of menacing-looking men, some of whom were masked, whether they were they were from national security or NPP party security.

His testimony at the Emile Short Commission investigating the violence on January 31, 2019 has been highly anticipated especially after a SWAT commander claimed his words were a threat to “national cohesion.”

The SWAT commander DSP Samuel Azugu requested for an in-camera hearing, explaining the words reportedly uttered are too unpalatable for national television.

“If I say it, the MP may be attacked by somebody…let me give it to you in-camera,” the SWAT commander said.

The Commission after conferring, declined to hear the words and asked the commander to write alleged words.

But showing no restraint at the commission, the Ningo-Prampram MP said one of the men in the bucket threatened “you will see what we will do to you.”

But after point fingers at the men and questioning their identity, one of the men jumped out and slapped him. Another joined in the assault.

Photo: Sam George [left] was slapped by man wearing all back

He recalled, “the last thing I remember being said to me was this was the beginning of 2020.”

Sam George told the Commission that uniformed police officers failed to restrain his attackers while one of them picked from the ground, a mobile phone of an operative.

He gave the name of one of his attackers as Mohammed Sulley.

According to National Security minister Albert Kan-Dapaah, a man who slapped the MP and is a national security operative has been identified but has not been arrested.

The violence during the by-election resulted in at least 15 injuries and nine arrests. None of the suspects has been charged.