Treason trial: Mac-Palm denies knowing three accused persons

Dr Frederick Mac-Palm, Chief Executive Officer, Citadel Hospital, one of the ten persons accused of attempting to overthrow the government, says he does not know three of the accused persons.

Dr Mac-Palm denied knowing Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal (LAC) Ali Solomon and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, adding that he only met them at the time of his arrest.

This was during cross-examination by Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu, their defense counsel.

Adawudu is the defence counsel for Donya Kafui, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Landefencece Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon.

Asked whether he had had any dealings with Corporal Akanpewon until he (Dr Mac-Palm) met him after his arrest? Dr Mac-Palm denied.

Defense Counsel: And so, with LAC Solomon? Dr Mac-Palm said it was very so.

Defense Counsel: “What about Akanpewon?”

Dr Mac-Palm: “I think so” but was quick to add that Corporal Akanpewon accompanied Bright Alan Debrah to his (Dr Mac-Palm’s) house, where Akanpewon asked if it was possible for Dr Mac-Palm to recruit his (Akanpewon’s) sister as a nurse.

Defense Counsel: “In other words, you have never had any discussion with Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, on overthrowing a government?” 

Dr Mac-Palm: “That is so, my lords.” 

Asked whether they were members of Take Action Ghana (TAG), Dr Mac-Palm said, “Not that I know of,” noting that they were also not on the TAG WhatsApp platform.

“Is it your case that the only time you met Seidu and Solomon was when you were arrested, the defense lawyer asked and Dr Mac-Palm replied, “That is exactly my case.”

On the case of Donya Kafui, the lawyer asked if Dr Mac-Palm was present when Kafui’s (a non-member of TAG) statement was being taken by the Police and Dr Mac-Palm said he was not.

He again told the three-paneled High Court presided by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, Justice of the Appeal Court with additional responsibility at the High Court, that he did not know the condition under which Kafui’s statement was taken neither did he know the content of the cautioned statement until disclosed by prosecution in Court.

How about Kafui’s charge statement, further statement, did you have knowledge of the content, the lawyer asked and Dr Mac-Palm answered no.

Dr Mac-Palm continued that he was arrested on September 19, 2019, at the Citadel Hospital and at that time, Kafui was not present. Guns and pipes were allegedly retrieved from the generator at the Hospital premises and under an x-ray container. 

Adawudu asked Dr Mac-Palm if he was given an inventory of the said retrieved items or list of the items to sign to show that they were retrieved but Dr Mac-Palm answered in the negative, stressing that it was on the third day that he was given an inventory but the guns were not part.

Led by the Defense Counsel, Dr Mac-Palm said the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras that were functional at the Hospital were removed with the accessories and cast away by the arresting officers.

Questioning him on the Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs), Mr Adawudu asked, “In the course of this trial some pipes alleged to be IEDs that were retrieved from under the X-ray container in the citadel hospital were tendered in this court, do you remember the colors of the pipes that were tendered in this court?”

Dr Mac-Palm: If my memory serves me right, I do not remember. 

Lawyer: “Can you take a look at the exhibits to refresh your memories?” 

Dr Mac-Palm: some were painted black, blue, multicolored and silver colour. 

Lawyer: The exhibit you saw and what you see now are different 

Dr Mac-Palm: There are different colors. 

He said Donya Kafui was engaged to produce metal placards and not guns, thereby giving him GHS2,000.00 for that course, adding that he later found out the third prosecution witness (PW3) had given him a revolver to repair for him.

“What I did was to tell Debrah to tell the third prosecution witness that I knew we wanted to purchase guns and not manufacture guns. This revolver issue has been confirmed by prosecution witness that they have out pistols like that PW3 to bring to Citadel”. 

Dr Mac-Palm, together with Donya, Debrah, Johannes Zikpi, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class II (WOII) Esther Saan, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo are standing trial over an alleged high treason.

Colonel Gameli and ACP Agordzo are on GHS1million bail and the rest, each are on GHS2million bail. They have denied their varied charges.