I only saw armed 'masked men' on TV

The Accra Regional Commander, DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong has revealed that he only learnt about the presence of armed masked men during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election in the media.

According to the DCOP he had not encountered any of the masked men during his patrol and briefing of the officers he deployed.

Speaking before the Emile Short commission of inquiry, today [Tuesday] the Regional Commander said the masked men were not part of the security team he deployed to provide security at the by-election.

“Mr. Chairman, I was doing the patrol myself, and I never came across the men you have described. These men you have described are not part of the men I deployed. My attention was drawn to these men after the incident at the constituency.”

“When the incident happened it was aired on the television and people were discussing it. It was at that point that I got to know they were from national security. Throughout my briefing and patrol I never encountered them,” he said.

He also stated that his unit has no authority or power over men from national security

“…it was said they were from national security, so if these men from national security are working, a policeman from my unit has no power or authority to stop them or do anything,” he said.

The Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election was suspended temporarily after the masked armed men clashed with some voters and citizens at the La Bawaleshi polling centre where over six persons were injured in the process.

The Emile Short Commission was set up to investigate the events following the public outrage that ensued.

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By: Farida Yusif | citinewsroom.com | Ghana