Tano South EC fire: It's arsonist destroying and concealing material evidence – NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it suspects arson in the Tano South Electoral Commission (EC) office fire.

The party said the inferno is nothing but a deliberate attempt by persons to destroy and conceal material evidence.

There is an ongoing court case involving the Electoral Commission, the NPP MP and the NDC 2020 Parliamentary Candidate for Tano South in the Wenchi High Court.

The NDC said the court processes may involve the inspection of critical election materials and documents relating to the disputed 2020 parliamentary elections in the Tano South Constituency.

In a statement signed by the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, it stated, “Indeed credible information of evidential value reveals that the EC building was broken into through the rear door."

It continued, "We consider this incident a very unfortunate development, especially as recent preliminary

investigations reveal that a match box, a pinch bar and door handles were found at the scene of the fire outbreak."

The party is of the notion that the suspected arson can be connected to the ongoing electoral dispute in the constituency.

"Accordingly, we are convinced that whoever perpetrated this dastardly act of arson did so with a criminal intent calculated at destroying evidence or concealing critical electoral documents containing information that could expose the Electoral Commission or the other party in the dispute whose electoral fortunes may be grossly affected by such documents and/or information if exposed in open court.

The party is asking the Ministry of Interior, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Fire Service and the national office of the Electoral Commission to take action and let the perpetrators face the law.

“We therefore use this opportunity to call on the Ministry of Interior, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Fire Service and the national office of the Electoral Commission to speed up the investigations on the fire outbreak in order to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book,” the statement requested.

Below is the full statement:

THURSDAY, 27th MAY 2021

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For Immediate Release

TANO SOUTH EC FIRE: WE SUSPECT ARSON TARGETED AT DESTRUCTION AND CONCEALMENT

OF MATERIAL EVIDENCE

The National Democratic Congress has noted with great distress the news of the burning of the Tano South Municipal Electoral Commission’s office which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 23rd May 2021.

We consider this incident a very unfortunate development, especially as recent preliminary

investigations reveal that a match box, a pinch bar and door handles were found at the scene of the fire outbreak.

Indeed credible information of evidential value reveals that the EC building was broken into

through the rear door. This undisputed preliminary fact, clearly puts the investigation in the direction of a well-calculated case of arson. The NDC is convinced that this is yet another clear testimony of a blatant attack on our democracy.

It may be recalled that there is an ongoing court case involving the Electoral Commission, the NPP MP and the NDC 2020 Parliamentary Candidate for Tano South in the Wenchi High Court. This court processes shall involve the inspection of critical election materials and documents relating to the disputed 2020 parliamentary elections in the Tano South Constituency.

We hold the view that this case of suspected arson of the office of the Electoral Commission of the Tano South Municipality may have everything to do with the ongoing electoral dispute in the said constituency.

Accordingly, we are convinced that whoever perpetrated this dastardly act of arson did so with a criminal intent calculated at destroying evidence or concealing critical electoral documents containing information that could expose the Electoral Commission or the other party in the dispute whose electoral fortunes may be grossly affected by such documents and/or information if exposed in open court.

We therefore use this opportunity to call on the Ministry of Interior, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Fire Service and the national office of the Electoral Commission to speed up the investigations on the fire outbreak in order to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to book.

Signed….

(PETER BOAMAH OTOKUNOR)

DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (OPS)