Mr. Sampson Lardi Ayenini, an attorney and journalist, told the High Court on Wednesday that Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr. Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo, who is currently on trial for treason, desired an independent Ghana Police Service.
Along with others, the chief of police is on trial for allegedly attempting to destabilise the government.
ACP Agordzo informed ACP Ayenini of his intent to pursue a constitutional interpretation of the National Security Council (NSC) in 2016, according to Ayenini.
Agordzor believed that the duties of NSC personnel were unconstitutional and that they should be required to perform their traditional duties. Therefore, he believed that the recruitment, training, and provisioning of NSC personnel should be specified.
Anyenini, one of ACP Agordzo's witnesses during his evidence-in-chief, stated that they met at a workshop following the infamous Ayawaso West Wuogon elections violence, where ACP Agordzo spoke about the need to break the cycle of political vigilantism, which Anyenini used to host his News file radio programme on Joy Fm.
The attorney stated that he supported the motion despite the fact that it could not be submitted to the Supreme Court for interpretation.
Mr. Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu of the defence council questioned Mr. Ayenini during cross-examination, "Was this intention to invoke the Supreme Court's interpretation jurisdiction communicated to you after the infamous Ayawaso Wuogon Election violence?"
Ayenini responded, "That is correct, but at the CODEO workshop, I mentioned in my witness statement that I was impressed by his presentation, just as other participants were, so I personally asked him to share it with me in order to facilitate my moderating of the topic discussion."
Mr. Adawudu then inquired, "This intention shared with you was A10's (ACP Agordzo) desire to see an independent, effective police force."
As stated in his witness statement, Mr. Anyenini responded affirmatively.
"Is it your position that A10 expresses his opinions in the course of his duties?" As indicated in my witness statement, Ayenini responded affirmatively to Adawudu's inquiry.
Mr Adawudu asked the witness, "Mr Samson Lardy Ayenini, do you know of any criminal activity he was involved in from 2016 until his arrest in 2019?" The witness responded, "In my practise, I know him, as do many of my colleagues."
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Yvonne Atakorah Obuobisa, asked Mr. Anyenini if he was a member of Take Action Ghana (TAG). He responded that he was not.
Mr. Anyenini stated that he was learning about TAG for the first time. "This would imply that you are not on any of its social media platforms," she said.
When asked if he knew the late Dr. Frederick Mac-Palm, he denied knowing him and stated that he learned of Dr. Mac Palm's arrest from the press and was not privy to the conversations between ACP Agordzo and Dr. Mac Palm.
"You had no knowledge of ACP's dealings with TAG?" she questioned. Ayenini responded, "Not at all; all I know I've stated in my witness statement."
For their roles in the high treason, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Johannes Zikpi, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, WOII Esther Saan Dekiwine, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewu, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, and ACP Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo are all facing charges.
In order to accommodate the legal holiday, the trial has been postponed until October 16, 2023.