Adom Otchere was irrelevant to Short Commission – Executive Secretary explains

Commission of Inquiry into the Ayawaso West Wuogon electoral violence has said, it declined to hear the testimony of TV presenter Paul Adom Otchere because his testimony was not relevant to it.

The Executive Secretary to the Commission Ernest Kofi Abotsi said on Joy News’ PM Express Monday, Adom Otchere did not tick any of the boxes described as “factors of relevance”.

Paul Adom Otchere, a Metro TV presenter, spent barely four minutes at Short Commission, the shortest for any of the more than 10 witnesses who appeared before it.

His claim to testify was with video clips of the electoral violence as captured by Metro TV crew. But he did not bring it along to the Commission.

The Good Evening Ghana host appeared eager to deliver on constitutional matters arising from the by-election turned violent.

There was no such opportunity.

With the Commission’s work wrapped up, the Executive Secretary and legal practitioner Kofi Abotsi has clarified there was no intention to snub the TV presenter.



To testify, a witness should have “taken part in the activity on the ground and therefore you have been implicated or involved in one shape or the other,” he told the host of PM Express, Evans Mensah.

Or the potential witness should be in a position of command or control or supervisory position related to the events of January 31, he continued.

The legal practitioner said, if the potential witness did not satisfy these two, then he should be an expert.

The Executive Secretary said “one thing became clear” to Commission, that Paul Adom Otchere did not fit in any of the three categories.

Source: Myjoyonline.com