‘The truth will come out’ – ‘I’ll send you to Enchi’ MCE

In a statement, Mr Issah, who President Nana Akufo-Addo for appointing him as well as Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development Dan Botwe and Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah for their assistance to him while in office, said: “I am convinced that in the fullness of time, the real truth surrounding that unfortunate incident will prevail”.

“I again thank my colleague MMDCEs, the Presiding Member, Coordinating Director, Assembly Members, the Solicitor and the entire staff of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly for their unflinching solidarity during this period. I finally wish to thank my family and all well-wishers who have stood by me through these difficult moments,” he added.

Mr Issah was suspended from office with immediate effect pending an inquiry into his abrasive encounter with the police on February 3, 2022.

“Without prejudice to the matter now before the court, the government takes a very dim view of the comments made by the Metropolitan Chief Executive during exchanges with the police,” a statement signed by Mr Botwe said.

“The comments by the Chief Executive run contrary to the government’s belief and work to ensure that our security agencies and, indeed, public agencies are resourced, empowered and accorded the respect to deliver their mandates,” the statement added.

In the interim, Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okeyere Darko-Mensah has been assigned additional supervisory authority over the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly.

Meanwhile, the court, on Friday, 4 February 2022, granted Mr Issah a GHS100,000 bail.

He was charged for dangerous driving and the alleged assault of a police officer.

The case has been adjourned to March 15, 2022.

Mr Issah was busted by the Western regional police command for the offences a couple of days earlier.

According to the police, he dangerously and carelessly drove a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number GE 5615-20 while approaching a police snap checkpoint at the Kwasimintsim Cemetery on Wednesday, 2 February 2022.

After a policeman insisted he join the queue of cars until it was his turn to get checked, the MCE allegedly hurled insults at the officer by calling him ugly and threatening to have him transferred to Enchi.

“You are stupid; you ugly policeman. You say a whole police officer. You are nothing. Don’t worry; let him play his King Kong thing. I have exercised patience for you to call whoever is coming, I could just pass by and there is nothing he can do. If I decide to pass by, what else can you do? But I have been patient enough, which you have called to come and take me to headquarters. I could have just drove (sic) there, go and you can do whatever you want to do tomorrow morning and it won’t get anywhere,” the MCE is captured on tape fuming at the police officer.

The officer stood his ground, said among other things that the “patrol team is coming to take you to headquarters for further action … your action, your behaviour, your attitude have been reported and you will be detained for this: attempting to knock a police Inspector down? You wait!”

The MCE then threatened: “You don’t know whom you are dealing with? You will come begging tomorrow; you will come begging tomorrow. I will send you to Enchi”, adding: “…Don’t worry, do what you want to do…you are lucky I am not in my…, it is OK”.