24th January 2024 4:22:30 PM
2 mins readSix persons in the alleged coup plot against the state have been found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. The six including three soldiers are; Donya Kafui, aka Ezor (a blacksmith) and Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu (a fleet manager), were found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and treason, while Johannes Zikpi (a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces) was found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.
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Three of the accused; ACP Benjamin Agordzor, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and one other junior military officer, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, however, have been acquitted and discharged.The judgment, delivered on Wednesday, concluded a case that began on June 8, 2021, with charges dating back to April 24, 2021. The accused faced various charges, including conspiracy to commit high treason, abatement to high treason, and high treason.
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Among the accused were the late Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, CEO of Citadel Hospital, ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, and eight others.The late Dr. Mac-Palm's testimony was officially removed from the records following his passing. All ten accused individuals pleaded not guilty and were granted bail during the trial.
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The prosecution, led by Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, included figures from the Attorney General’s Department, such as Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecution, Hilda Craig, Winifred Sarpong, Lawrencia Adika, and Akosua Agyapomaa Agyemang. The defense team comprised lawyers from Legal Aid and private practitioners, including notable names like Rita Akukunti Ali, Victor Kodjogah Adawudu, and others.
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The three-member panel of judges, sitting as additional High Court judges, consisted of Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, Justice Hafisata Amaleboba, and Justice Stephen Oppong, with Justice Asare-Botwe serving as the President of the panel.Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, charged with abetment, were among the three individuals acquitted.
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Throughout the trial, State Prosecutors presented 13 witnesses, including seven soldiers. The Prosecution concluded its case on July 12, 2022. The defense had been robustly represented by a team of lawyers, and the verdict, delivered on Wednesday, marks a critical moment in the legal proceedings surrounding the alleged coup plot.
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The convictions and acquittals have sparked discussions about the nature of the evidence presented and the complexities of the case. The legal teams are expected to review the judgment, and the implications of this decision will likely resonate across the legal and political landscape.Counsel for the acquitted persons have also declared their intentions to sue the state for what they described as a frivolous case.
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