Man Arrested with EC Biometric Verification Device in Nsawam

Man Arrested with EC Biometric in Nsawam, located in the Eastern region, who was found with the Electoral Commission’s (EC) Biometric Verification Device (BVD). The individual has been named as 52-year-old Samuel Yaw Koranteng.

The Nsawam Police Command is currently looking into a reported incident involving an EC Biometric Verification Device (BVD) discovered with 52-year-old Samuel Yaw Koranteng in Nsawam, located in the Eastern Region.

As per information shared by William Atamudzi, the NDC National Deputy Welfare Director, the leadership of the Nsawam Constituency was alerted about the suspect’s efforts to sell a BVD within the community.

To recover the device, they enticed the suspect into a deal, agreeing to buy it for GHC100.00. The suspect reportedly concealed the Biometric Verification Device in a black plastic bag before passing it to the undercover buyers, who were affiliated with the NDC and intelligence agencies.

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Following the transaction, the suspect was apprehended, and his details, along with information about the Biometric Verification Device, were collected before he was transferred to the Nsawam Police Command.

In a recorded video shared on social media, the suspect, who is from Brekusu, claimed that the BVD was given to him by a friend from Tudu who also deals in phones.

The Nsawam Police Command has not issued an official statement on the matter, leaving it unclear whether the biometric Verification BVD belongs to the Electoral Commission (EC) or another agency that uses such devices, though there are inscriptions of the EC on the device.

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The Police have launched an investigation to determine how the suspect acquired the device. This development follows the discovery of around 10 BVDs at a recycling firm in Madina several months ago. In response to concerns from the think tank IMANI Africa, the Electoral Commission clarified that the devices were outdated and had been sold off through a legal auction.

According to the minority leader of Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, earlier in March 2024, the Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed that seven of its BVDs cannot be identified.

The minority leader has since called on the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to “immediately issue a statement giving us the details of their investigations so far,” adding, “I am concerned and worried because that devices in the hands of an unknown person can compromise the future elections”.

However, Dr. Osae-Kwapong, reacting to the development on TV3’s Ghana Tonight programme on Tuesday, March 19, underscored the significance of the EC ensuring all concerns and doubts that may arise from any quarters are carefully dealt with to increase trust.

“If there is one  biometric [BVD] per constituency…one would be tempted to say that, in the grand scheme of things, seven devices missing doesn’t hurt the process. But I think for me, because it is an election year, we have a very important election coming up. The last thing you want are stories like these coming from the Electoral Commission”, said Dr. Osae-Kwapong.

He added that “such stories begin to create, unfortunately, doubts or start raising questions about the integrity of the EC, the integrity of the electoral system. And so, for me, that is what makes this story concerning”.

Tensions are still escalating in the region, especially among members of the NDC, due to the ongoing concern regarding the missing laptops from the Electoral Commission adding to the biometric BVDs. The Commission (EC) has not yet addressed this situation.