Tag: coup plot

The Accra High Court trying the ten persons accused of plotting to overthrow the government has rescinded the bail of Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) Esther Saan, the only female member.

WOII Saan on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, failed to attend Court hence a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

The three-member panel of judges presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe ruled that if she was granted bail, she would not attend Court to stand trial, hence, ordered that she should be transported to the Nsawam Prisons.

Her counsel had earlier informed the Court that she was indisposed and was admitted at an undisclosed hospital.

The Court later received two excuse duty letters from two separate health facilities with different dates.

One was from the Judicial Service Clinic dated Wednesday, November 10 whilst the other was from the Kpeshie Military Clinic dated Monday, November 15.

The Court found out that both excuse duty letters did not state that WOII Saan was admitted at the 37 Military Hospital as defense counsel had informed the Court.

The judge stated that the panel discovered that the accused person went to the Judicial Service Clinic to ask for a two-day excuse duty but failed to state she was standing trial.

WOII Saan is standing trial with Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm, Chief Executive Officer of the Citadel Hospital, Donyo Kafui, blacksmith, alias Ezor, Bright Alan Debrah, alias BB, Freight manager, Johannes Zikpi, signaler with the Ghana Armed Forces, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal (LAC) Ali Solomon, Colonel Kojo Gameli and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo.

They are facing varied charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, high treason, possession of ammunition and abetment.

The Accra High Court trying the ten persons accused of plotting to overthrow the government has rescinded the bail of Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) Esther Saan, the only female member.

WOII Saan on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, failed to attend Court hence a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

The three-member panel of judges presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe ruled that if she was granted bail, she would not attend Court to stand trial, hence, ordered that she should be transported to the Nsawam Prisons.

Her counsel had earlier informed the Court that she was indisposed and was admitted at an undisclosed hospital.

The Court later received two excuse duty letters from two separate health facilities with different dates.

One was from the Judicial Service Clinic dated Wednesday, November 10 whilst the other was from the Kpeshie Military Clinic dated Monday, November 15.

The Court found out that both excuse duty letters did not state that WOII Saan was admitted at the 37 Military Hospital as defense counsel had informed the Court.

The judge stated that the panel discovered that the accused person went to the Judicial Service Clinic to ask for a two-day excuse duty but failed to state she was standing trial.

WOII Saan is standing trial with Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm, Chief Executive Officer of the Citadel Hospital, Donyo Kafui, blacksmith, alias Ezor, Bright Alan Debrah, alias BB, Freight manager, Johannes Zikpi, signaler with the Ghana Armed Forces, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal (LAC) Ali Solomon, Colonel Kojo Gameli and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo.

They are facing varied charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, high treason, possession of ammunition and abetment.

They have denied the charges and have been granted bail.

Source: GNA

Warrant Officer Class One (WOI) Esther Saan allegedly seduced a civilian employee, Samuel Kotei, when he was serving her water as instructed.

Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh, second prosecution witness in the ongoing treason trial told the High Court.

He said when the civilian driver brought the water, the door of the guardroom where WOI Saan was kept was left opened and accused who was coming out asked him to send it to the room.

Major General Andoh was disclosing the content of the report of the alleged seduction as investigated by the military police.

The key to where the female accused person was kept and at all material times were in the control of the soldiers on duty and that the civilian employee had no access to the place, the lawyer asked.

Major General Andoh said the report on the alleged attempt by the accused person to jump bail would be made available to the Court.

In a cross-examination by Apanga Lamtiig, lawyer for WOI Esther, the witness said when the driver entered, the accused held him from the back, came to the front, raised her dress without panties and asked him to do something.

“In the process a corporal came in and raised the alarm.”

Mr Lamtiig put it to the witness that none of the accused persons had shot a gun or taken a violent action against the President of the Republic or any member of the executive.

Major General Andoh rebutted that the preparation, acquisition and planning were towards the end (coup plot) and the security did not have to wait till they fired before taking appropriate action.

Bede Tuuku, counsel for L/Cpl Ali Solomon, asked whether the witness knew his client and that the case he had against him was the fact that he attended a meeting at the Next Door Beach Resort.

However, the witness said it was not only that but the fact that L/Cpl Ali also visited Dr Mac Palm at his residence.

Dr Frederick Mac Palm, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Johannes Zipki, Colonel Kojo Gameli, WOI Esther Saan, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, L/Cpl Ali, L/Cpl Sylvester Akanpewon and Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Korsi Agordzo are standing trial for conspiracy to commit high treason, high treason, abetment among others.

They have all denied their respective charges and have been granted bail.

The ten are being tried at the High Court by a three member panel: Justices Hafsa Amaleboba and Stephen Oppong, presided over by Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe.

Source: GNA

Some Military Officers who are being held allegedly over treason-related charges have lamented to an Accra High Court over how some of their colleagues have been detailed to follow them to court.

Mr Eric Pongo, who held the brief of Kojogah Adawudu, indicated that Colonel Kojo Gameli, his client who is on court bail is being followed to the court.

Counsel for Warrant officer II Esther Saan, Ziyeli Agambilla, also indicated that his client was also being given a military escort to the court.

A practice, both lawyers found to be intimidating and needless, praying the court to intervene.

Squadron Leader Sandra Efusah Nana Agyemang, a lawyer of the Ghana Armed Forces who stood as a friend of the court explained that the said: “military escort” was part of the Ghana Armed Forces protocol and the practice did amount to intimidation but offer some morale to the accused.

The trial Judge, Mr Samuel K Asiedu, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, held that he saw nothing wrong with the practice since the practise did not infringe on the rights and liberties of those officers.

Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm and ten others are being held over alleged treason charges.

All the accused persons have met their bail conditions except Donyo Kafui, Johannes Zikpi, a civilian worker for the Ghana Armed Force and Corporal Seidu Abubakar, a soldier.

Prosecution had earlier told the Court that Dr Mac Palm is a medical doctor and the Director for the Citadel Hospital, Donyo, alias Ezor is a blacksmith, Debrah is a Freight Manager, whereas WO 2 Saan, Corporal Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali and Sylvester Akanpewu are soldiers.

Prosecution said Colonel Kojo Gameli and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Korsi Agordzo are senior military and Police officers in that order. All the accused belong to “Take Action Ghana,” a Non-Governmental Organisation.

According to the Prosecution in June 2018, security agencies picked up intelligence of the group’s intention to overthrow the government and usurp executive powers, thus, they held several meetings to that effect at the expense of Dr Mac Palm.

Prosecution mentioned some of the issues discussed at the meetings as recruiting more soldiers, acquire arms, procurement of electronic gadgets, on how to capture the President among some key personalities in government as well as drew a road map for their operation.

Prosecution said their discussions also included whether to kill the President, adding that, all these were recorded.

According to prosecution, Zikpi, who is skilled in communication gadgets, was recruited by Colonel Gameli, whilst Donyo was employed by Dr Mac Palm to manufacture arms, and that Colonel Gameli had also advised Dr Mac Palm to be careful with the site for their meetings.

The Prosecution said Donyo was brought to Accra from Alavanyo in the Volta Region, to the Citadel Hospital to manufacture local arms and was agreed later that Dr Mac Palm would procure more to augment his armoury.

Prosecution said investigations revealed that the group was incorporated in August 2018 and a WhatsApp platform was created to recruit members, where ACP Agordzo was added, and he, in turn, supported them with GH¢1,000.00 and drafted a speech for Dr Mac Palm.

The prosecution said on September 19, 2019, Dr Mac Palm and Donyo went to the Military Shooting Range to test fire their weapons where they were arrested.

According to the prosecution after their release, they went to the hospital to conceal the manufactured weapons, but luck eluded them when the military and other security agencies stormed there the next day, leading to their arrest. The rest were also arrested and handed over to the National Investigations Bureau,(NIB)where a search at the Hospital revealed the weapons.

The trial has been adjourned to May 4.

Source: GNA

An Accra High Court has granted bail to eight persons accused of being part of a plot to destabilise the country and overthrow the government.

Each of the eight persons was granted bail in the sum of Gh¢10 milllion with two sureties to be justified, by the court, presided over by Justice Samuel Asiedu, a Justice of the Court of Appeal with additional responsibility as a High Court judge.

With the justification, the sureties must show prove that they have proprieties worth the Ghc10 million bail sum .

The eight accused persons are Dr Frederick Mac -Palm, the man accused of masterminding the alleged plot, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, Johannes Zipki, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon .

As part of the bail conditions, the court also ordered the accused persons to deposit their passports to the registrar of the court and also report to the police twice every week .

GET CORONAVIRUS UPDATES HERE

The eight were granted bail following an application by their lawyer, Mr Kodzoga Adawudu.

The bail was opposed by the prosecutor, Ms Hilda Craig, a Senior State Attorney

The eight are part of a group of 10 people accused of being part of Take Action Ghana (TAG), a group the state accused of plotting to destabilise the country and overthrow the government.

Advertisement

Two other accused persons – Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Benjamin Agordzo and Warrant Officer (II) Esther Saan Dekuwine are already on bail.

Committed to stand trial

On March 3, 2020, the Kaneshie District Court committed the 10 accused persons to stand trial at the High Court.

The trial is expected to start on June 5,2020 with the empaneling of a jury .

Charges

Dr Mac-Palm, Kafui, Debrah, Dekuwine, Abubakar, L/Cpl Akanpewon and Zikpi have been charged with conspiracy to commit treason felony and treason felony, while Dr Mac-Palm and Kafui have been separately charged with conspiracy to possess explosives and ammunition without lawful excuse and possession of explosives and ammunition without lawful excuse.

Col. Gameli and ACP Dr Agordzo have been charged with abetment to treason felony.

Alleged killing of President

The facts of the case as presented by Ms Craig was that TAG plotted to destabilise the country and overthrow the government.

The prosecution claimed that, as part of the plot, Dr Mac-Palm, who is accused of being the mastermind of the plot, Kafui and Debrah planned on kidnapping the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief of the Defence Staff  and also force the President to announce his overthrow.

“Again, there were discussions on whether or not to kill the President in the process of overthrowing the government,” she said.

The prosecutor added that in June 2018, the security agencies picked up intelligence that the accused persons, under the auspices of TAG, had planned to overthrow and take over the government.

According to her, as part of the plan, Col. Gameli recruited Zikpi, who was a signal specialist with the GAF, to help jam the radio signals of the National Communications Authority.

TAG, she said, planned to jam all radio stations, with the exception of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

The prosecutor said in furtherance of the plot, Dr Mac-Palm invited Kafui, who was a blacksmith at Alavanyo, to Accra to manufacture explosives and pistols for

With regard to ACP Dr Agordzo, she said he donated GH¢2,000 to TAG to aid its cause and also drafted a speech for Dr Mac-Palm to be read at the planned demonstration by TAG.

Source: Graphic.com.gh