Accra, July 26, GNA – The High Court trying Dr Frederick Mac Palm and nine others accused of attempting to overthrow the government, have been ordered to open their defence.
The three-member-judge panel said the prosecution has established a Prima facie/established the basis for the charges against them hence the order.
They are to file their list of witnesses, adding that if they needed the Court’s assistance to summon or issue a subpoena, they were free to consult the court.
They would also decide when to conduct the case management conference as well as the period to file the requisite evidence. Trial has been adjourned to October 10, 2022.
In its ruling, the Court said Prosecution had proved the roles played by each of the accused persons and the evidence of case against the accused persons supported by videos and audios, recruitment of personnel, caution evidence, test firing of locally made guns and improvised explosive devices to carry out the attempted offence, saying such required answers to be put in by the accused persons.
Dr Mac Palm’s premise was said to be used for making the seized weapons. Donya Kafui, a blacksmith, was employed by Dr Mac-Palm to make the arms and (IEDs) to overthrow the constitutionally elected government.
Role of meeting with Staff Sergeant Sule Kwadwo Awarf, third Prosecution’s Witness, in addition to Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII), Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon and Corporal Seidu Abubakar were corroborated by audios and videos.
Bright Alan Debrah, a freight forwarder, upon the consent of Dr Mac Palm, held meetings with the soldiers: WOII Saan, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewu, among others at the Next-Door Beach Resort.
The Court defined abetment of crime, as, amounting to the commitment of the substantive crime.
It said when “one directly or indirectly instigates, facilitates, encourages, promotes, aids the commission of a crime abets the one who commits the offence.”
Citing an abetment of crime the court said, the master brain behind the crime, the insider who gives access to offenders, the carpenter who makes the ladder, watchman who agrees to absent himself from duty on the day of crime, the driver who transported the gang, spiritual leader who fortifies the gang, each would be liable as without their individual contributions, the plot would not achieve the purpose.
Linking it to the trial, the Court said Prosecution gathered that Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo, held for abetment of crime, participated, where Colonel Gameli was aware of the plan and he and Dr Mac-Palm agreed to get jamming devices by recruiting Johannes Zikpi, a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The ruling stated that the Colonel suggested that the meetings on the plot should not be held at the Next-Door Beach Resort to avoid being caught as well as employed Zikpi to assist in acquiring jamming equipment.
It said Dr Agordzo, who was also on the Take Action Ghana’s (TAG) platform, gave a cash donation in support of the plot and also wrote a speech in preparation of what is known as the “big bang,” which his counsel said had been taken out of context, thus, the Court had given him the chance to explain and tell context in which it was spoken.
The Prosecution’s representation included Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mrs Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecutions, and Ms Winnifred Sarpong, Principal State Attorney.
According to the 30-paged ruling, the accused persons were arraigned on April 24, 2021, where Dr Mac Palm, Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Zikpi, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon and Corporal Sylvester Akankpewu were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit, high treason and high treason, whilst Dr Agordzo and Colonel Gameli have been charged for abetment of crime.
It said Dr Mac Palm was the Director of the Citadel Hospital, Kafui, a blacksmith, Debrah is a freight forwarder, Zipki, signaler or a civilian employee of GAF as Colonel Gameli, WOII Saan, Corporal Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal Solomon, Corporal Akankpewu are soldiers, ACP Agordzo is a Senior Police officer.
Security picked up Intelligence of the coup and they were holding meetings and surveillance mounted. Several issues were discussed, personnel were recruited, there was acquisition of arms, drafts to attack key installations was made, jamming devices to jam all stations which bothered on how to capture the President and announce his overthrow.
To facilitate their work WOII Saan, Corporal Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal Solomon and Corporal Akankpewu were recruited.
Zipki was also recruited by Colonel Gameli to help get the jamming equipment, saying that Colonel Gameli who was meeting Dr Mac Palm, warned them to be careful of being found out, adding that Kafui was recruited to make weapons whereas Mac Palm’s X-ray room was converted into weapons manufacturing shop.
Another person was also contacted for AK47 assault rifle but returned the money to because he could not fulfill his part of the bargain.
Mac Palm and Debrah, members of TAG incorporated it in August 2018, adding that Debrah with the consent of Mac Palm created a WhatsApp platform to recruit others. ACP Agordzo donated GHS2, 000 to support the cause and drafted a speech to that effect.
Awarf, Mac Palm and Kafui went to the Military shooting range to test fire the weapons which led to their arrest and on September 30 2019, security retrieved the weapons, sketch maps, locally made pistols, hand smoked grenades, from Mac Palm’s Hospital.
The rest were later arrested and on June 8, 2021, hearing started whereby Prosecution called 13 witnesses, including Colonel Isaac Amponsah, Major General Andoh, Staff Sergeant Sule Kwadwo Awarf, the star witness, Sergeant Henry Paul Ghartey, Staff Sergeant Nantorna, Ike Osei of the Ghana Institute of Languages, representative from the Food and Drugs Authority and Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah of the National Intelligence Bureau.
Prosecution on July 4, 2022, closed its case and the case was adjourned to July 25, 2022.
GNA