One of the men tagged as the leader of the pro-National Democratic Congress (NDC) group, Hawks, has denied ever having any significant knowledge of the group.
Appearing before the Short commission, Theophilus Sedodu, who has been photographed in t-shirts with Hawks inscribed on them, insisted he was only offered the t-shirt when asked to direct traffic during two of the NDC’s unity walks.
“So after the unity walk in Kumasi and Volta, we haven’t used that T-Shirt and I haven’t met them anywhere again. We haven’t had any meeting again,” he told the commission.
Theophilus Sedodu was one of 16 persons arrested during the violence at La-Bawaleshi during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
The Director of Operations at the National Security, Colonel Michael Opoku, who appeared before the commission, singled him out as a leader of the Hawks.
Colonel Michael Opoku, in his testimony before the Emile Short Commission last week, described him as “the face of the Hawks on the internet.”
“After the arrest, the picture I saw; I saw one huge person and I was told he was the leader of the Hawks vigilante group. I actually googled the picture and I saw that he was the leader.”
Though Justice Emile Short had to stress to him that he was under oath, Theophilus Sedodu maintained that he knew nothing of the Hawks.
He also claimed he did not know anybody in the hawks or what they were known for despite being an executive member of the NDC in Ablekuma North.
“They associated me with the hawks because of my stature so anytime there are the Hawks, my name and my face will be there… on the two occasions [at Kumasi and in Volta] that’s the only time I was given that t-shirt with the inscription with the hawks. I don’t know if it’s a group or not,” Sedodu insisted.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
Follow @delalibessa