<<Print>>

The Justice Emile Short Commission of Inquiry assigned to look into the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence has ended its public hearing today, Friday.

Speaking to the media after hearing from the last witness at the 37 Military Hospital, Secretary to the Commission, Ernest Kofi Abotsi said no evidence will be downplayed in putting together the final report.

"We are going to carefully review every evidence in a balanced way; the evidence will be carefully reviewed. Nothing is going to be compromised. This Commission is going to deliver a report that reflects the facts and evidence presented," he assured.

So far proceedings at the Commission have been very revealing even though there had been some contradictions from some of the witnesses.

Some of the witnesses that appeared before the Commission included: the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu; the Minister of the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery; the Minister of National Security, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah; the Minister of State in charge of National Security, Mr Bryan Acheampong, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, Commander in charge of the National Security SWAT team, DSP Samuel Azugu, Bright Ernest Akomea popularly known as 'Double', a National Security operative among others.

The popular witnesses on social media were DSP Azugu especially when he suggested that some of the operatives wore masks to prevent mosquito bites and 'Double' who claimed he broke some laws for the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram constituency, Sam George.

Mohammed Sulemana the operative who slapped Sam George was one of the witnesses that appeared before the Commission.

As part of his testimony, he apologised to the MP and said it will not happen again.

The final witness was Yaro, the victim of the violence; who was shot in the leg.

Background

The Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election on 31st January, 2019, was marred with violence leading to the injury of about 16 members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Following the violence, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo set up a three-member committee led by Justice Emile Short; a former Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). The other two members are: Professor Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu, a legal expert and Mr. Patrick Kwateng Acheampong, a former Inspector General of Police (IGP), as the other members.

The Commission began sitting on February 14, 2019, after it was inaugurated on February 6, 2019.