Colonel arrested over 'coup' plot and GH¢2,800 for pistol, explosives

Two more persons have been remanded in custody by a Kaneshie District Court in Accra for their involvement in alleged plans to attack the Presidency and destabilize the country.

The accused persons — a senior military officer, Col. Samuel Kojo Gameli, and a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces, Gershon Akpa — are alleged to be neck-deep in the activities of the group of individuals arrested for allegedly stockpiling weapons and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the Citadel Hospital at Alajo in Accra.

The two, according to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), are members of Take Action Ghana (TAG) — a Non-Government Civil Society Organisation operated by Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the plans to destabilize the country.

Their arrests bring to five the number of persons who have been remanded in the custody of the BNI since the government raided the Citadel Hospital at Alajo last Friday over the alleged coup plot.

Three other suspects—including the proprietor of the medical facility, Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, and two others, Ezor Kafui, a local weapon manufacturer (blacksmith), as well as Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, aka BB or ADC, were last Tuesday remanded by the court presided over by Rosemond Agyiri.

Charges

The three persons accused earlier are facing a total of five charges — all in connection with the deadly explosives and ammunition they were caught with.

The three — including one suspect only identified as Suley — are facing two counts of conspiracy to manufacture arms and ammunition, as well as the unlawful possession of explosives and firearms.

On the other hand, the colonel and the civilian employee are also facing one count each of possession of explosives, firearms and ammunition without excuse.

Role

The prosecution, led by ASP Sylvester Asare, told the court that Col. Gameli and Mr. Akpa are members of TAG who were planning to embark on a demonstration against government.

Part of their planned demonstration was to attack the Presidency and destabilize the country.

TAG allegedly hired Donya Kafui —a blacksmith from the Volta Region—to manufacture guns and explosives for them to use for their intended demonstration.

The blacksmith is said to have charged GH¢2,300 for each pistol and GH¢400 for each explosive and his contractors agreed to his terms of service.

Donya Kafui is said to have been brought to Accra by his contractors and was lodged at Citadel Hospital.

He then handed over 22 explosives, six (6) pistols, three (3) hand grenades and five (5) pieces of ammunition to the leadership of TAG.

ASP Asare said investigations led to the arrests of the alleged coup plotters, including the senior military officer.

No Pleas

The pleas of the accused persons were not taken because the charges relate to a trial by indictment and the District Court does not have jurisdiction to convict or sentence the accused persons on those charges. Neither of the two accused persons was represented by a lawyer when they appeared in court yesterday.

Police Request

The prosecuting officer, ASP Asare, urged the court to remand the two as the case was still under investigation and assured the court that the BNI would open its doors at all times to lawyers and relations of the accused persons in preparation for their defence.

Remand

The two have been remanded to reappear on October 9 and the judge has asked the BNI officials to allow the accused persons access to their lawyers and relatives, asking the suspects to report to her if they were denied those privileges.