The 10 persons arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government have filed another application seeking bail pending trial.
The accused persons in their various applications contended that it has been three months since their respective arrests and subsequent arraignment but the police were yet to conclude their investigations into the matter and, therefore, insisted that it amounted to unreasonable delay.
Previous Attempt
This is the second time lawyers for the accused persons have attempted to secure bail for them pending the trial.
Last month, an Accra High Court dismissed an application filed by seven of the accused persons as the court presided over by Justice George Buadi held that they had been detained for less than two months and that could not constitute unreasonable delays in the trial.
ACP/Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, a week later, also filed for an application for bail as his counsel Martin Kpebu argued that his client had no intention to carry out any coup in the country.
That application was also dismissed by the same judge, saying it was premature and held that the accused person, being a senior police officer, could interfere with investigations.
The renewed bail applications are coming at a time the prosecution is preparing to send the case docket to the Office of the Attorney General for advice.
Motion
Moving the motion for bail, private legal practitioner, Victor Kwadzoga Adawudu, who represents seven of the accused persons, told the court that it was strange that the prosecution after indicating that a 15-month surveillance led to the arrest of the accused person are still saying they are still investigating the matter.
He said from the look of things, there is no time frame for the prosecution to conclude its investigations and, therefore, urged the court to consider the grant of bail pending trial.
He said the case had been unreasonably delayed and, therefore, pleaded with the court to grant the accused person bail pending trial.
He suggested that in the alternative, the military personnel among the accused persons be released to their unit commanders or the Provost Marshall who will produce them to stand trial at all times.
Opposition
The application was opposed by Hilda Craig, a Senior State Attorney, who said the accused persons are facing charges of abetment and treason felony which are serious offenses, and the investigations of such cases are not as simple as the defence counsel was suggesting.
She said most of the accused persons are military officers who would interfere with investigations and witnesses who are military personnel when granted bail.
She added that looking at the charges and the number of accused persons involved, the investigations will take a bit of time, and pleaded with the court to deny the accused persons bail.
The court presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsa adjourned the matter today to rule on the application.
Lawyer for ACP Agordzo will also move his application for bail today.
Case Docket
Meanwhile, a Kaneshie District Court has adjourned the committal hearing involving the accused persons until January 8, 2020 after the prosecution led by ASP Sylvester Asare told the court that they were putting the case docket together to be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for the preparation of the Bill of Indictment.
The court presided over by Eleanor Barnes-Botchway advised the prosecution to speed up with investigations, hoping that by the time they return next year, the state would have made ‘head way’.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak