It has emerged that the nine persons charged with conspiracy to commit treason felony targeted important state installations including the Flagstaff House (Jubilee House) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in their bid to usurp and take over government.
Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, the Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Hospital at Alajo, a suburb of Accra and eight others including five military personnel and three civilians allegedly targeted the 37 Military Hospital and National Police Training School as part of their grand agenda to destabilise the country.
The accused whose pleas were not taken were charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit treason felony and two counts of possession of explosives, arms and ammunitions without lawful excuse.
They are Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, a senior military officer, Gershon Akpa, civilian employee at the Ghana Armed Forces, Warrant Officer II (WOII) Esther Doku, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Lance Corporal Sylvester Akapewu and Corporal Seidu Abubakar.
The other accused were Donyo Kafui, a local weapon manufacturer and Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu (aka BB or ADC), a freight manager.
Two others- Lance Corporal Albert Baba Ibrahim and Lance Corporal Godwin Nii Ankrah who were earlier charged together with the nine accused for unlawful possession of explosives, arms and ammunitions have been discharged.
The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare, told the court presided over by Mrs Rosemond Dodua Agyari that Dr Mac-Palm and his colleagues belonged to an association called Take Action Ghana (TAG) and had planned to stage demonstrations, ostensibly to topple the government.
He said in July this year, the accused contacted a blacksmith from Alavanyo, in the Volta Region, to manufacture 22 explosives, six ammunitions and five pistols.
The court heard that the manufacturer charged his alleged accomplices GH¢2,300 as the cost of each pistol and GH¢400.00 for each explosive.
He said on September 19, Dr Mac-Palm and Kafui were arrested after test firing at Teshie Military shooting range.
The court heard that a search conducted in the premises of the Citadel Hospital revealed six unregistered pistol, one registered pistol, 22 explosives, three grenades, 63 rounds of ammunition, two empty AK47 magazines and other machines used in manufacturing weapons.
Counsel for the accused, Victor Kodjogah Adawudu argued that there were factual inaccuracies in the charge sheet and asked the court to discharge the accused.
Counsel contended that his clients were framed up and that one Sule who masterminded the arrest of the accused was currently on the run.
Mr Adawudu said the court does not have jurisdiction to try treasonable offence, but the magistrate reminded him that the accused were brought to the court to be remanded.
Meanwhile, the court has remanded the accused in separate police cells in Accra over concerns of ill treatment in the Bureau of National Investigation cells.
Mrs Agyari scolded the BNI for not allowing the accused enough time to have conference with their family and counsel.
The visibly angry magistrates described the conduct of the BNI as gross disrespect to the orders of the court and urged counsel of the accused to take steps to get bail for their clients at the high court.
The case has been adjourned to October 28.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
