The Director of Operations, National Security, Colonel Michael Opoku, on Monday said his outfit was after publishers of fake posters in town, which contains the images of some of their security personnel as wanted men.
He said the fake posters contained images of some of their civilian operatives and police officers who were not part of his team.
Col. Opoku told the the Ayawaso West Wuogon Commission of Inquiry that the National Security was conducting investigations into the issue; so as to uncover the publishers and the printing house(s) behind the fake posters.
He said the National Security Operatives used masks to ensure that they could not be identified during their operations.
Col Opoku, who first gave his testimony before the Commission on Wednesday, February 20, was there again on Monday for cross examination.
Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, a Member of the Commission questioned the Director of Operations whether his outfit had held a Board of Inquiry into the Ayawaso West Wuogon incident, which occurred on January 31.
To this, Col Opoku replied that they had not yet set up a Board of Inquiry; stating that the Police were carrying out investigations into the incident.
Responding to Prof Mensa-Bonsu question as to whether his men had visited the scene of the incidence at La-Bawaleshie, Col Opoku said the National Security had not yet visited the scene; stating that however, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service had inspected the scene.
Col Opoku told the Commission that Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Samuel Kojo Azugu, the Commander of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team of the National Security issued 10 weapons to his men during the confidence building patrol during the Ayawso West Wuogon Parliamentary by-election.
With regards to the number of weapons fired during the La-Bawaleshie violence, Col Opoku noted that it was only the SWAT Commander, who would be in a position to tell.
Prof Mensa-Bonsu: “You said there were three principles of internal operations – justification, minimum force and prevention; in a democratic system don’t you think there should be a form of accountability?”
Col Opoku: “My Lord the justification, when you want to go further takes care of accountability. Your actions must be justifiable. In justifying your actions, you must be accountable for every action that you have taken.”
Prof Mensa-Bonsu, however, noted that some of the firing that she had heard from videos of the incident did not seems to come from people who knew they were going to account for the shots they were firing.
Col Opoku said the firing had become a bone of contention and that they were waiting for the outcome of the investigations.
He told the Commission that DSP Azugu would be tendering in the shells from their gun shots at La-Bawaleshie to the Commission.
Col. Opoku presented some video scenes of the La-Bawaleshie violence to the Commission, for viewing.
Also, at the Commission’s sitting was the Member of Parliament of Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Sam Dzata George.
Mr. George told the Commission that he was assaulted by two National Security Operatives; stating that one of them slapped him in the face, while the other punched him at the back of his neck.
He said that after the incident, he went to the Legon Police Station the following Saturday for his statement to be taken, but the police woman on duty declined to do so.
He said the Police woman took his mobile contact with the promise that he would be called, which never happened.
“I was told to go and that someone will call me but they did not take my statement and I asked the officer on duty that I have come to report a matter, at least take my statement, she said I should go, took my number and said I will be called.
“It took 72 hours for me to receive a call from Superintendent Afful from National CID who said he was part of the investigation that had been commissioned by the IGP based on the complaint by the NDC to him, so it was in no way related to my visit to the Legon Police Station.”
Mr. George, who wanted to back his presentations with video scenes from the violence, was asked by the Commission to let the owners of the videos tender them in person before the Commission.
Sitting was adjourned to Tuesday, February 26 at 1000 hours.
