What the national security operative 'Double' told the Short Commission

A National Security Operative on Tuesday told the Justice Emile Short Commission of Enquiry into the Ayawaso Wuogon by-election violence that he had infringed on two laws contrary to laid down procedures in the performance of his duties.

Mr Bright Ernest Akomea said working as a National Security Operative at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), he allowed the visitors of the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram,

Mr Sam George, to use the VIP Lounge of the airport when such people were barred from using such a facility.

Mr Akomea, well known as Double, also said he offered some protection to the legislator when he shielded him from getting hurt by more than 100 people who hurled stones at security operatives who were in front of the house of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Mr Delali Kwasi Brempong, in the by-election at La-Bawaleshie on January 31, 2019.

He said he was hit by a stone on the left shoulder in a bid to protect Mr George who did not sustain any injury during the violence.

Mr Akomea, a former Ashaley Botwe polling station chairman of the New patriotic Party (NPP), who testified before the commission on Tuesday therefore, expressed surprise by the MP’s allegations that he was a member of the Invincible Forces who joined the National Security SWAT team to cause mayhem at the polls at La-Bawaleshie.

Sam George’s confrontation

Testifying in Twi language, Mr Akomea gave a vivid account of the security operations conducted by the National Security SWAT team.

According to the operative, he was enlisted into the National Security two years ago after leaving his job as a mobile phone seller at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.

He said every operation carried out by the SWAT team at the La-Bawaleshie was conducted under the instructions of the Commander of the National Security SWAT team, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Samuel Kojo Azugu.

Whilst patrolling during the by-election and following a shooting incident at La-Bawaleshie school area, Mr Akomea said the SWAT team was deployed to the area by their commander (Azugu) to conduct investigations to unravel those behind the shooting.

He said while the SWAT team were on their way to La-Bawaleshie, they spotted 15 motorbikes being followed by three private vehicles, occupied by Mr Sam George, Mr Oko Vanderpuye and a lady.

He said when the SWAT team got to the residence of Mr Brempong, more than 15 motorbikes were spotted but the team was unable to establish the owners of the motorbikes.

According to him, when the security operatives attempted to search a pickup vehicle parked in front of Mr Brempong’s house, Mr Sam George prevented them from doing so, an intervention that agitated the crowd in front of the house.

Agitated crowd

Shortly after Mr Sam George’s intervention, he said, the crowd began to throw water and stones from inside and outside the house.

He said it was at that moment that DSP Azugu came to the scene and ordered that a warning shot be fired, an act that attracted three instant warning shots from the crowd outside Mr Brempong’s house.

Unable to recollect how many gunshots came from the crowd, Mr Akomea said subsequently, many uncountable shots were fired from the crowd who were outside the candidate’s house.

During the violence in front of Mr Brempong’s house, Mr Akomea said he identified five persons he knew so well, naming them as Dragon, Seidu Pay, Rashid, Mohammed, Tanko Baba and Theophilus.

“I know them and they know that I work at the National Security. I have known them as NDC security and I used to meet them before they even joined the NDC.

Under cross-examination by the counsel of the commission, Mr Akomea denied being one of the leaders of the SWAT team and expressed surprise at the allegation by Mr Sam George that he was a member of the Invincible Force.