A senior police officer at the heart of the IGP leaked tape saga, COP George Alex Mensah, has accused the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare of mismanaging the Police Service.
COP Mensah made these claims during his appearance before the parliamentary committee investigating the leaked tape. The leaked recording features senior police officers discussing plans to remove the IGP with the former Northern regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bugri Naabu.
COP Mensah expressed his concerns about the IGP’s leadership, alleging that it has led to a decline in morale among many police officers.
“Dampare is not managing the Police Service well and the majority of police officers are not happy. You can call the police officers underground and they will tell you,” COP Mensah said.
During his appearance, COP Mensah acknowledged his political affiliation saying he’s sympathetic towards the NPP because of the UP roots of his family.
His comments align with those heard in the leaked tape, where he is heard discussing the need to remove the IGP to ensure the NPP’s victory in the 2024 elections.
COP Mensah also questioned the authenticity of the leaked tape, suggesting that it had been edited and did not accurately represent his original conversation with Bugri Naabu.
In a back-and-forth exchange with Committee Chairman Samuel Atta Akyea, COP Mensah stated, “This tape that was played today, to me was an edited tape, I have not heard any unedited tape for me to talk about as I sit here.”
COP Mensah added “The tape that I heard today, there are so many things in that tape that I don’t remember and there are so many things that we discussed that are not on the tape. I’ve met Bugri Naabu four times and we have discussed many things some of them private things that I am not ready to discuss in public
“I had a meeting with Bugri Naabu but I don’t remember having any plan to remove the IGP because I don’t remove IGPs.”
These claims directly contradict the testimony of Bugri Naabu, who affirmed the tape’s authenticity and confirmed recording it in his private office in Osu.
Bugri Naabu also admitted that COP Mensah urged him to discuss the possible removal of IGP Dampare, citing concerns that he might not aid the NPP in winning the 2024 elections.
