Six coup plotters sentenced to death by hanging

The High Court found six people guilty of both committing high treason and conspiring to commit high treason, despite their alleged involvement in a coup.

They received the sentence on January 24.

Donya Kafui, also known as Ezor, a blacksmith, and Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, a fleet manager, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and treason, respectively, while Johannes Zikpi, a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason. The six individuals, including three soldiers, were found guilty of both counts.

Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Agordzo were also found not guilty by the court.

The High Court in Accra has found ACP Dr. Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo, a senior officer in the Ghana Police Service, not guilty of aiding and abetting the overthrow of the government.

The ruling, which was rendered on Wednesday, January 24, by the three-judge panel, represents a major development in the court case pertaining to the purported coup attempt.

Full of expectation, the courtroom saw the verdicts on the various charges against the defendants read out.

Colonel Gameli, Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Agordzo, and Corporal Seidu Abubakar, a junior military officer, have also been found not guilty.

The presumed mastermind, the late Dr. Frederick Yao Mac Palm, was officially named the first accused after his death. Donya Kafui, the second accused, was found guilty of both high treason and conspiracy to commit high treason. Likewise, Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, the third defendant, was found guilty of both high treason and conspiracy to commit high treason.

The only woman among the accused, Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan Dekuwine, was found not guilty of high treason but guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.

However, the seventh accused, Cpl Seidu Abubakar, was found not guilty of high treason or conspiracy to commit high treason. The eighth accused, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, was found guilty of conspiracy but not high treason, receiving a mixed verdict.

Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), claims that ever since the court case involving the coup plotter was filed, he knew he would be found not guilty.

Six coup conspirators were found guilty by the Accra High Court of both high treason and conspiracy to commit high treason.

However, ACP Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, and Corporal Seidu Abubakar, a junior military officer, were all found not guilty by the court.

The six people found guilty of organizing a coup have been given hanging death sentences.

Happy that they had been cleared, ACP Agordzo and his family waved their hands in thanksgiving to God while singing “Jehovah Is Your Name” by Ntokozo Mbambo.

On April 24, 2021, Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, the now-deceased Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Hospital, and ACP Dr. Agordzo were charged in a variety of ways with high treason, high treason conspiracy, and high treason abetment.

Charges for conspiracy to commit high and high treason were brought against Dr. Mac Palm (A1–deceased), Donya Kafui alias Ezor (A2), Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu alias Bright Alan Yeboah (A3), Yohannes Zikpi (A4), Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan Dekuwine (A6), Cpl Seidu Abubakar (A7), Lance Corporal Ali Solomon (A8), and Cpl Sylvester Akanpewon (A9).

ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo (A10) and Col. Samuel Kodzo Gameli (A5) have both been accused of aiding and abetting.

After entering not guilty pleas, all ten of the accused were given bail to await trial.

Dr. Mac-Palm (A1), who was testifying at the time, passed away, and his testimony was removed from the file.

The prosecution was headed by the Godfred Yeboah Dame of the Attorney-General’s (AG) Department. The team also includes Ms. Lawrencia Adika, State Attorney, Mrs. Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecution, Principal State Attorney (PSA) Hilda Craig, Winifred Sarpong, PSA, and Assistant State Attorney Akosua Agyapomaa Agyemang.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com