The parliamentary candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, Mr Delali Brempong has said vigilante groups are not controlled by the party itself but by mafias and kingpins within the two main political parties.

Mr Brempong made the statement when he appeared before the Justice Emile Short-led Commission of Inquiry set up by the president to probe the by-election violence.

Some masked and gun-wielding national security operatives stormed Mr Brempong's private residence at La-Bawaleshie with the explanation that they had intelligence he had weapons in his house.

In the process, nine persons were arrested in front of his house and some 16 NDC party supporters got wounded as they prevented the security operatives from entering the house to verify the authenticity of their intelligence.

Speaking to the commission, Mr. Brempong indicated that these mafia sponsored vigilante groups must be dealt with swiftly by the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces or “it will be disastrous” for the country during future elections.

“From what I saw around my house during the by-election, if the police and the military do not step in to stop these guys, we are finished,” 

In response to a question about whether he had heard that these groups were owned by the two main political parties in the country, he said: “I don’t believe the NDC or the NPP control vigilante groups, but rather, certain mafias control these groups”