The Police administration is setting up a service enquiry to establish why spent bullet casings were left at the scene of violence, during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election. 

Chief Superintendent Kwasi Ofori, Director of Operations at the Accra Region Police Command, says the development is against the police code of conduct and officers responsible must answer for it.

Responding to questions before the Emile Short commission investigating the violence, he said it is police’s duty to pick the bullet casings because during firing some live bullets could drop and endanger people’s lives.

“In such circumstance, we need to pick whatever on the ground and such things need to be done with much professionalism,” he said admitting that was not done.

According to him, since the issue of bullet casings came up in the testimony of Ningo Prampram MP, Samuel Nartey George, who handed 29 casings to the Commission, the police have sent what they took to a forensic lab for investigation.

The legislator who was a victim in the violence that characterised the by-election said the casings were “picked on the spot on the day and brought to me.”

On Monday, Sam George said he tendered the bullet casing to the Commission with the belief that it “will help in the service of justice.”

As to whether the casings were from the scene, he said “I was there when the National Security-attired men fired and discharged their weapons. I was standing by a red pick-up [vehicle] which has a bullet hole. A casing was picked from there.”

Supt. Kwesi Ofori

Supt. Ofori said it is not the case that he has been lethargic about getting to the bottom of what happened but they are chalking a lot of success with their investigation which they will come out with at the appropriate time.

He said reports that one Wala youth chief at Agbogboloshie picked some shells after the shooting incident, did not come to their attention early.

“We had that force capability to take those shells from anybody or group of persons at the place. That time the force level was very high and I don’t see anyone jumping out, we would have arrested the person and taken the shells,” he said.