The Short Commission which investigated the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence has recommended that the SWAT operative who slapped Ningo-Prampram MP must be prosecuted.

Mohammed Sulemana is to face criminal prosecution “for the offence of assault, to wit, slapping Mr Samuel George.”

Mohammed Sulemana was one of two persons seen in the viral video as the NDC MP cowed under the heavy frame of the operative who has not been arrested or charged although he has been identified.

Explaining circumstances surrounding the assault, the SWAT team member accused the NDC MP of denigrating his ethno-regional identity.

Mr George, he said, after noticing his tribal marks, demanded with vehemence “you Northerner what are you doing here?” before proceeding to use the F word.

The national security operative apologised for slapping the opposition MP in March when he appeared before the Short Commission.

Mr Sulemana told the Commission he has regretted his action on that fateful day on January 31, 2019.

“I am guilty,” he spoke through an interpreter at the three-member Commission met at the Osu Castle in Accra.

But Sam George in his testimony flatly denied uttering the words attributed to him in DSP Azugu’s testimony.

“It makes me sick to suggest I said those words,” he told the Commission calling the claim a “fabrication. I confronted the National Security operative known as Mohammed Sule and asked him if he was a national security officer or a party agent and it was at the point that he assaulted me. I asked him whether he is a police officer or a party agent. That was what I was seen telling the national security operative,” he explained.

The slapper when questioned agreed that the assault meted out did not conform to the standard training given them for effecting an arrest. 

The Commission also noted that members of the SWAT team committed criminal assault against certain member of the gathered crowd.

In its assessment, the Commission notes that some of these instances of assault were committed while the victims were in flight and fleeing from the SWAT team who were giving a chase.