In a landmark ruling, the High Court in Accra has delivered its verdict on the alleged coup plot by convicting six individuals on counts of conspiracy to commit high treason and committing high treason.
The six convicted individuals, including three soldiers, have been sentenced to death by hanging.
The individuals convicted are Donya Kafui, aka Ezor (a blacksmith), and Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu (a fleet manager), found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and treason. Johannes Zikpi, a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.
The three soldiers, Warrant Officer II Esther Saan Dekuwine, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, were also found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.
However, Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, and one other junior military officer, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, were acquitted by the court in its ruling .
Defense Lawyer Set To Appeal Ruling At Supreme Court
Meanwhile, Victor Adawudu, the defence lawyer representing the alleged coup plotters has expressed dissatisfaction with the High Court’s verdict and announced plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
In a post-verdict statement, Mr Adawudu highlighted concerns about the critical examination of the evidence presented during the trial, indicating that the legal team believes there are significant grounds for further review.
“I believe that the evidence we have put before the court is not being looked at critically, and I think that it is a process, and we will also be going to the Supreme Court for it to also look at the evidence”.
Lawyer Victor Adawudu
Lawyer Adawudu questioned why the soldiers were charged with conspiracy but ultimately acquitted on the substantive charge of high treason and posited that under such circumstances the defence team would send the case to the Supreme Court for a more thorough examination.
He emphasized the intention to seek a higher court’s review, suggesting that the legal battle is far from over.
In addition, Lawyer Adawadu questioned the lack of an inventory detailing the time of the arrests, expressing concerns about the prosecution’s ability to establish a clear connection between the accused individuals and the alleged possession of firearms.
“I believe that looking at what we have put before this court, we have done well, and we will be going to the Supreme Court because they don’t even have an inventory of the time they arrested the people to show that the guns they were talking about were with the people who had them. We will see what we will do”.
Lawyer Victor Adawudu
The verdict, with the imposition of the death penalty, underscores the gravity with which the court viewed the charges against the convicted individuals.
The judgment, delivered on Wednesday, January 24 2024 had been anticipated since the trial commenced, with the date fixed on November 22, 2023, following the submission of written arguments by all parties involved.
The charges stemmed from events on April 24, 2021, when Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, the Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Hospital (now deceased), and ACP Dr. Agordzo, along with eight others, were charged with conspiracy to high treason, abetment to high treason, and high treason.
The accused individuals pleaded not guilty and were granted bail during the trial.
The narrative took a turn with the unfortunate death of Dr. Mac-Palm while in the witness box giving testimony. His evidence was subsequently expunged from the records after the Court confirmed his passing.
Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, charged with abetment, were among the acquitted. The legal proceedings unfolded against the backdrop of allegations of a conspiracy to destabilize the government.
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