Short Commission to end public hearing today

The Justice Emile Short commission set up by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to investigate the violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election is set to end its public hearing.

This was disclosed in a press statement released by the Commission.

The statement said there will be a brief meeting with the press at the end of the sitting “for concluding comments on the Inquiry”, which “will also be a forum to answer questions posed to the Commissioners and officers of the Commission.”

The government set up the Commission to investigate the shooting incident by some national security operatives that led to the injury of several NDC supporters at the party’s parliamentary candidate’s private residence at La-Bawaleshie on 31 January 2019 during the by-election.

The Commission is chaired by a former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Justice Emile Short.

Legal expert Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu and Mr Patrick K. Acheampong, a former IGP, are members of the Commission.

The Commission was given a month to submit its report to the President.

Meanwhile, the Commission’s spokesperson, Katherine Woode has said that the commission may not require an extension.

According to her, the 3-member Commission has discharged its duties creditably so far. 

In a radio interview with Accra based Citifm Katherine Woode said: “the commission has done the best that it can within all the circumstances to go according to the mandate set by President Akufo-Addo to ensure that this is a free, fair and impartial collation of information in order to give him its recommendation. It is the intention that there will be no extension.”

The commission which has so far taken testimonies of several principal witnesses in the matter including the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George; Commander of the National Security SWAT team DSP Samuel Azugu; and NDC Parliamentary candidate Delali Kwasi Brempong.

It is expected to brief the media after today’s [Thursday] hearing on the way forward.

“On the 7th of March, the intention is that the Executive Secretary, Dr. Kofi Ernest Abotsi will address the press on what the next steps are for the closure of the commission.”