The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is yet to honour an invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Service, more than 24 hours after the agency invited him.
[contextly_sidebar id=”ScLNi239rOyQlqWsw6wbIiSnJ5A9N4BJ”]The CID asked Mr. Ofosu Ampofo to report at its headquarters on Thursday to answer questions relating to some statements he purportedly made in leaked audio at a party meeting with regards to the recent Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections.
In the audio, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo is heard outlining plans to fight vigilante groups aligned to the governing New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2020 elections with vigilante groups aligned to the NDC.
“The Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service has intercepted an audio message circulating in both traditional and social media on Wednesday 27th February 2019, in which you are alleged to have made some comments that have some security implications,” the statement said.
“You are therefore requested to report to the undersigned at the CID Headquarters on Thursday 28th February 2019 at the 10:000 am to assist in the investigation, the statement added.
The National Chairman has since been heavily criticized by a cross-section of Ghanaians with many demanding for his immediate arrest.
But Mr. Ampofo is yet to honour the invitation.
The party’s Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi said although the national chairman has not been to the CID headquarters, he is cooperating with the police.
According to him, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is being represented by his lawyers who are engaging with the CID to agree on an appropriate date for his meeting with the officials.
“Yesterday at 12.15pm, we received an official invitation from the Director General of CID at our national headquarters at Adabraka. But even before that, because he had seen speculation on social media and letters inviting him to appear before the National Headquarters of the CID for the meeting, he had in the morning dispatched is lawyers to go to the CID and engage with them to first of all ascertain the veracity and the letter and invitation so after we have received the official invitation, he sent his lawyers back to engage with them so that an appropriate date and time could be agreed upon.. Our lawyers are in in touch with the CID, they are handling that and the national chairman will avail himself and cooperate with them in their investigations,” Sammy Gyamfi told Citi News.
Even before Mr. Ofosu Ampofo meets with the CID, some persons have suggested that the interrogation will be fruitless.
Private legal practitioner, Justice Sai said the process is just a facade.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Justice Sai said taking any action against the NDC Chair will in no way curtail the menace of vigilantism because it does not tackle the root cause of the political vigilantism in any way.
“How will this Ampofo tape resolve the issue of vigilantism? Those who are outraged by the tape are proposing that he should be arrested or prosecuted. When this happens, the outcome will be that he will be imprisoned or fined. The other aspect is that, if he is not found guilty, he will be left off. Will any of these options solve the issue of vigilantism and make our law enforcement systems stronger? Whether he is jailed or not will not solve this problem,” he said.
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By: Jonas Nyabor | citinewsroom.com | Ghana