The Ad hoc Parliamentary committee that investigated the leaked tape involving senior police officers’ alleged scheme to remove the Inspector-General of Police has charged two officers with contempt of Parliament for lying under oath.
In its report to Parliament, the committee stated that Superintendent George Lysander Asare and Superintendent Emmanuel Eric Gyebi “sought to undermine the authority of Parliament” through false testimony.
Consequently, the committee has referred them to the Privileges Committee for further action.
Superintendent Gyebi, during his testimony on August 31, 2023, denied ever communicating directly with Chief Bugri Naabu on his phone or through Superintendent Asare’s phone.
However, when he reappeared before the committee on October 10, 2023, his earlier testimony was contradicted.
The Committee further said: “Supt. Asare also in answering a question under oath posed by Hon Peter Lanchene Toobu on 4th September, 2023 on whether he was present when Chief Bugri Naabu spoke to Supt Emmanuel Gyebi on the phone, he responded in the negative. However, he changed his initial response to this question to the affirmative when he appeared before the Committee on 10th October 2023”
When he first appeared before the committee, Supt Gyebi denied his involvement in the conspiracy by flatly denying that he had ever spoken to Chief Bugri Naabu after the former NPP Northern Regional Chairman had said the two had spoken and agreed to present their misgivings about the IGP to the President. Supt Asare in his further testimony before the committee, also denied the allegations that Supt Gyebi spoke with Bugri Naabu on his (Asare) phone and went further to call Bugri Naabu a liar; an allegation Bugri took very strong exception to. The two Police Officers however made sharp U-turns after Chief Bugri Naabu presented the longer version of the tape to the committee which had the conversation between Supt Gyebi and Chief Bugri Naabu.
The committee therefore recommended that the two be given stiff punishment for their conduct.
“The Committee is of the view that Supt Asare and Supt Gyebi appeared to have acted in contempt of Parliament pursuant to Order 30 of the Standing Orders of Parliament (2000) as revised by Order 13 )1(of the Standing Orders of Parliament (2024) In this regard, the Committee is of the opinion that the matter be referred to the Privileges Committee for appropriate action”.
Three senior police officers, COP Alex George Mensah, Supt. George Lysander Asare and Supt. Emmanuel Eric Gyebi were heard on a leaked tape plotting the removal of the Inspector-General of Police with the former Northern regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party Daniel Bugri Naabu. The tape was recorded by Bugri Naabu who confirmed taping their conversation as he was shocked that serving police officers will seek to undermine the authority of the IGP in such a brazen manner and wanted to report their conduct to the president.