About 19 bullet holes were counted at various locations close to the La-Bawaleshie Presbyterian School, yesterday when the members of the Commission of Inquiry on the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence visited the La- Bawaleshie area to apprise themselves on what transpired during the chaotic scene.
Out of the number,11 bullet holes were counted on trees,Three were found on a container salon shop, two on a car, and one each on the La-Bawaleshie Presbyterian School building and the wall of the residential facility of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate, Delali Brempong.
Another vehicle, which had bullet holes had been moved when the team arrived at the location
The team further inspectedthe spotswhere the pools of blood were found.
The three-member commission including the Chairman, Justice Emile Short, Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, inspected the various locations together with Ballistic Expert, Michael Cudjoe.
Mr. Brempong also conducted the team around his residence where most of the scuffle was reported to have taken place.
Addressing the media, Secretary to the Commission, Ernest Kofi Abotsi, said the inspection was to enable the commission to gather at firsthand what was contained in the evidences submitted by various witnesses.
During the exercise, he said the commission used the opportunity to inspect bullet holes, angles of gunshots, speak to people on the ground and ascertain potential dangers the shooting could have caused.
The commission was now able to relate to the testimonies as presented before it to enable it arrive at the exact facts and produce an outcome which would be consistent with its mandate as a fact-finding commission, he stated.
On why the Member of Parliament (MP) of Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, was yet to testify before the commission, Mr. Abotsi explained that due to its limited time, the Commission would not take evidence from people who were not at the area when the violent incident took place.
“The commission is only taking testimony from people who were there and experienced what happened to help us establish the facts. The MP was not at the scene and so she can produce to the commission on the basis of what someone told her. Therefore she’s only at best a secondary witness. The commission does not want secondary information and that is why the commission decided not to extend an invitation to her,” he noted.
Although the commission was working within its deadline, he said it would invite all relevant witnesses to ensure the conclusions were thorough and complete for effective recommendations to be produced.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) David Asante-Apeatu, representatives of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) and Centre for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD), he said are some of the few scheduled to appear before the Commission to give witness from Monday March 4.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
