The hearing of the alleged coup plotters case continued in court on Monday, February 21, 2022.
While in court, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Yvonne Attakora-Obuobisa, led the 10th Prosecution Witness (PW10), Frank Aboagye, into tendering into evidence the tools and implements the alleged coup plotters had planned to use in overthrowing the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.
These tools, implements, and machines were thoroughly identified by the witness, followed by an inspection of same by both the defense lawyers and the three-member bench.
They were subsequently admitted into evidence without any objections by the defencse lawyers.
PW10, Frank Aboagye who is an operative of the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) identified 3 pairs of pliers, 3 hammers, 1 saw, 1 spanner, 4 drilling machines, 2 cables, 1 sandpaper and 28 other items described as “assorted” tools.
He also indemnified the court for admission as pieces of evidence; 1 revolver gun, 2 AK-47 magazines, 3 locally manufactured gun barrels, 1 electric grinding machine, 1 anvil and about a quarter sack of coal.
Narrating how some of the tools and items were retrieved from Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm’s office/consulting room, PW10 further presented a chemical labelled as Halothane BP to the court.
He said Dr. Mac-Palm, upon questioning, said the chemical was just like any other normal chemical, but the team still confiscated it anyway since the team was not sure of the real nature of it.
A further search conducted in Dr. Mac-Palm’s bedroom at the Citadel Hospital revealed 3 hand-smoke grenades, a small brown leather bag containing 9 live rounds of ammunition; a beretta pistol with 2 magazines; one empty, and the other one carrying six live rounds.
According to Frank Aboagye, Dr. Mac-Palm was interviewed on how the guns and other improvised explosive devices (IEDs) came to be in his house.
Dr. Mac-Palm, according to Aboayge, said, though the guns were for him, he was not aware of the presence of the IEDs on his compound.
He said the guns were manufactured for him by Kafui Donya. When pressed further, according to Frank Aboagye, Dr. Mac-Palm said the IEDs were for Kafui Donya and that Kafui had manufactured them to be used in the likely event of Nkonya-Alavanyo conflict.
He noted that Kafui Donya is a native of Alavanyo.
The witness again told the court that Kafui Donya was immediately called in via telephone and was subsequently arrested upon arrival.
Kafui Donya in his interview admitted knowledge of the guns and the IEDs.
“According to him, he came from Alavanyo to manufacture the guns and the IEDs for Dr. Mac-Palm. Upon further questioning, he reiterated the guns and the IEDs were all manufactured for Dr. Mac-Palm and that he did the manufacturing.”
The Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe (as President), with Justices Hafsa Amaliba and Stephen Oppong, adjourned the case to Tuesday, February 22, 2022, for continuation.
In all, 10 military, police and civilians are being tried.
They include; Dr Frederick Mac-Palm, ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo, Col. Samuel Kodzo Gameli, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu (a fleet manager), Johannes Zikpi (a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces) and Donya Kafui, aka Ezor (a blacksmith). The rest are Cprl. Seidu Abubakar, L/C Ali Solomon, Cpl. Sylvester Akanpewon and Warrant Officer II Esther Saan Dekuwine, all of whom are soldiers.
While ACP Dr Agordzo and Col. Gameli are being tried for abetment of high treason, the rest are facing the charge of high treason and conspiracy to commit high treason.
