Accra, May 30, GNA – The High Court trying the ten accused persons over an alleged coup plot has rejected Johannes Zikpi’s, objection to the admissibility of his statements.

Zikpi, a signaler with the Ghana Armed Forces, and one of the accused persons in the ongoing trial, objected to the admissibility of his statements on the grounds that they were not voluntarily given.

The three-paneled-bench, after a mini-trial, ruled that Zipki’s evidence was full of inconsistencies, thus, his objection to the admissibility was rejected.

Prosecution’s witness (Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah) called three witnesses who corroborated what he had earlier told the Court that Zipki voluntarily gave his statements and they were certified by the independent witnesses, the Court considered in its ruling.

The Court found out that the assertion that the statements were written under duress was not true, adding that he made statements voluntarily that was read to him and after accepting them, he signed.

Mr Anthony Lartey, his defense counsel had earlier challenged that Zipki’s first statement dated October 21, 2019, was personally written by Mr Nkrumah for his client to sign, adding that the second one, also made on the same day was dictated by the investigator for Zipki to write and append his signature.

Again, Mr Lartey, said the purported independent witnesses did not certify on the face of the alleged confession statements that their contents were fully understood by Zikpi as required by law.

However, Ms Winnifred Sarpong, representing the Attorney General, in a rebuttal, said there was no basis for the objection, stating that Zikpi wrote the statements himself and the story made up by his counsel that the statements were dictated to him was false.

She said there was no law which stated that an investigator cannot write a statement for an accused person, “what the law is against is when an accused person is forced to write a statement or append his signature which is not what happened.’

The objections were raised by the defense counsel after Mr Nkrumah, the Prosecution’s had given his evidence-in-chief.

Zipki is standing trial with Dr Frederick Mac Palm, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class two Esther Saan, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Seidu Abubakar and Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Benjamin Agordzo.

All are facing charges including conspiracy to commit high treason, abatement and others.

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

GNA

Accra, May 30, GNA – The High Court trying the ten accused persons over an alleged coup plot has rejected Johannes Zikpi’s, objection to the admissibility of his statements.

Zikpi, a signaler with the Ghana Armed Forces, and one of the accused persons in the ongoing trial, objected to the admissibility of his statements on the grounds that they were not voluntarily given.

The three-paneled-bench, after a mini-trial, ruled that Zipki’s evidence was full of inconsistencies, thus, his objection to the admissibility was rejected.

Prosecution’s witness (Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah) called three witnesses who corroborated what he had earlier told the Court that Zipki voluntarily gave his statements and they were certified by the independent witnesses, the Court considered in its ruling.

The Court found out that the assertion that the statements were written under duress was not true, adding that he made statements voluntarily that was read to him and after accepting them, he signed.

Mr Anthony Lartey, his defense counsel had earlier challenged that Zipki’s first statement dated October 21, 2019, was personally written by Mr Nkrumah for his client to sign, adding that the second one, also made on the same day was dictated by the investigator for Zipki to write and append his signature.

Again, Mr Lartey, said the purported independent witnesses did not certify on the face of the alleged confession statements that their contents were fully understood by Zikpi as required by law.

However, Ms Winnifred Sarpong, representing the Attorney General, in a rebuttal, said there was no basis for the objection, stating that Zikpi wrote the statements himself and the story made up by his counsel that the statements were dictated to him was false.

She said there was no law which stated that an investigator cannot write a statement for an accused person, “what the law is against is when an accused person is forced to write a statement or append his signature which is not what happened.’

The objections were raised by the defense counsel after Mr Nkrumah, the Prosecution’s had given his evidence-in-chief.

Zipki is standing trial with Dr Frederick Mac Palm, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class two Esther Saan, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Seidu Abubakar and Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Benjamin Agordzo.

All are facing charges including conspiracy to commit high treason, abatement and others.

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

GNA

Accra, May 30, GNA – The High Court trying the ten accused persons over an alleged coup plot has rejected Johannes Zikpi’s, objection to the admissibility of his statements.

Zikpi, a signaler with the Ghana Armed Forces, and one of the accused persons in the ongoing trial, objected to the admissibility of his statements on the grounds that they were not voluntarily given.

The three-paneled-bench, after a mini-trial, ruled that Zipki’s evidence was full of inconsistencies, thus, his objection to the admissibility was rejected.

Prosecution’s witness (Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah) called three witnesses who corroborated what he had earlier told the Court that Zipki voluntarily gave his statements and they were certified by the independent witnesses, the Court considered in its ruling.

The Court found out that the assertion that the statements were written under duress was not true, adding that he made statements voluntarily that was read to him and after accepting them, he signed.

Mr Anthony Lartey, his defense counsel had earlier challenged that Zipki’s first statement dated October 21, 2019, was personally written by Mr Nkrumah for his client to sign, adding that the second one, also made on the same day was dictated by the investigator for Zipki to write and append his signature.

Again, Mr Lartey, said the purported independent witnesses did not certify on the face of the alleged confession statements that their contents were fully understood by Zikpi as required by law.

However, Ms Winnifred Sarpong, representing the Attorney General, in a rebuttal, said there was no basis for the objection, stating that Zikpi wrote the statements himself and the story made up by his counsel that the statements were dictated to him was false.

She said there was no law which stated that an investigator cannot write a statement for an accused person, “what the law is against is when an accused person is forced to write a statement or append his signature which is not what happened.’

The objections were raised by the defense counsel after Mr Nkrumah, the Prosecution’s had given his evidence-in-chief.

Zipki is standing trial with Dr Frederick Mac Palm, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class two Esther Saan, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Seidu Abubakar and Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Benjamin Agordzo.

All are facing charges including conspiracy to commit high treason, abatement and others.

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

GNA