Accra: court convicts and sentences six persons to death for high treason

Six persons including three soldiers have been sentenced to death by hanging for high treason by the Accra High Court for plotting to overthrow the government. The convicts, were part of a group of ten, who allegedly plotted to over throw the government in 2018. The court however acquitted and discharged Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and Corporal Seidu Abubakar of the charges of abetment and treason and high treason.

The convicts, Donya Kafui, aka Ezor a blacksmith and Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu a fleet manager were found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and High treason. A civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces, Johannes Zikpi was found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.The rest are three soldiers, including, Warrant Officer II Esther Saan Dekuwine, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, who were found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason. Per the judgement of the Court, the defense put up by some of the convicts, were clear afterthoughts, as they could not absolve them of the evidence, provided by prosecution and prosecution witnesses.

The Court, in its opinion, said, the prosecution, was unable to provide concrete proof that Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Agordzo, had knowledge about the intended coup plot and funding same. He, together with Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, who were charged for abetment, were acquitted and discharged. A junior military officer, Corporal Seidu Abubakar who was charged for conspiracy to commit treason and high treason was also acquitted and discharged, after the Court held the view that, there was not enough evidence to prove his offense.

The convict, together with Dr. Fredrick MacPalm(now deceased) were charged on April 24, 2021, for conspiracy to commit treason and high treason, and abetment . Hearing of the case, commenced on June 8, 2021, after the accused persons were arrested, charged and arraigned in 2019. Donya Kafui aka Ezor, Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu aka Bright Alan Yeboah or BB, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Lance Corporal Sylvester Akapewu, Lance Corporal Seidu Abubakar, WO II Esther Saan Dekuwine aka Mama Gee and Johannes Zikpi, a civilian employee with the Ghana Armed Forces, are facing two counts of conspiracy to commit high treason and high treason.

ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo and Col. Samuel Kojo Gameli on the other hand have been charged with two counts of abetment of high treason each. The accused persons including three civilians and six military officers are being accused of planning to allegedly destabilize the government through a coup. Following their plans, they are alleged to have secured the services of a local gun manufacturer to produce improvised explosive devises guns and ammunitions with which they were going to carry out their plans.

They are alleged to be members of a non-governmental organization, Take Action Ghana (TAG), formed by the late Dr. Frederick Mac-Palm. A civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces, Gershon Akpa, who is a weapons mechanic, is alleged to have agreed to sell two guns to the ‘coup doctor’ at a cost of GH¢7,000. He took GH¢2,000 as part-payment but returned the money later because he could not supply the guns. In a related development, the first accused, Dr. Frederick MacPalm, who was accused of masterminding the plot, was pronounced dead in March 2023, and has been removed from the case. Evidence provided by prosecution included video and audio materials of meetings held by the group and others. The trial, was held by three justices of the Court of Appeal, who had additional responsibilities as High Court Judges. The panel, was presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe. 23 witnesses in total, from both the state and defense, testified in the matter