The suspects
An Accra High Court trying ten persons accused of planning to stage a coup and overthrow the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government yesterday began hearing the audio and video recordings of meetings of some of the accused persons.
An audio file and four videos played so far had some of the accused persons laying the ground rules of the cause and the need to topple the government which they claim was not helping the people.
A third prosecution witness, Staff Sergeant Awarf Kojo Sule last Monday began testifying in the trial and had indicated that his superiors had made him feign interest in the coup plot and later recorded the meetings of the group.
The court is playing the recorded tapes to determine the admissibility or otherwise as the prosecution attempts to tender them in evidence.
Main Trial
The ten made up of civilians, a military officer, a senior police officer and some soldiers are before the court on charges of high treason and abetment of high treason for allegedly plotting to overthrow a democratically elected government.
They are Dr. Frederick Yao MacPalm, proprietor of the Citadel Hospital at Alajo in Accra who is suspected to be the mastermind of the plot; Donya Kafui aka Ezor, a local weapon manufacturer; Bright Alan DebrahOfosu aka Bright Alan Yeboah or BB, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Lance Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, Lance Corporal Seidu Abubakar and WO II Esther Saan Dekuwine aka Mama Gee.
The rest are Johannes Zikpi, a civilian employee with the Ghana Armed Forces, ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo of the Ghana Police Service and Col. Samuel Kojo Gameli of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Recorded Tapes
The first audio tape began with a male voice that was later referred to by the other attendants as ‘Chairman’ querying whether the others knew why they had met.
He then went on to state that what they are planning to do must happen for the benefit of the entire country because both the NPP and NDC have failed the youth of the country.
He then went on to tell the others that what they are about to do was possible because the 1979 coup was carried out by junior ranked military officers.
He then talked about the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) and Subah scandals indicating that the NPP had made a lot of noise about them while in opposition but failed to do anything about it when they won power.
He also talked about sanitation issues in the country pointing out that the country’s sanitation was way better under the military rule and suggested that it can happen again once they succeeded.
The ‘Chairman’ also suggested that those in attendance should exchange phone numbers so that they contact one another in case there is the need for any clarifications.
But another male voice was heard saying that sharing their phone numbers would not be necessary as their calls can be traced and instead suggested that they get Gota phones which guarantee some level of privacy.
When ‘Chairman’ said he had no idea about the workings of the Gota phones, the others suggested that they have connections, including some Chinese who can get them the Gotas.
Another male voice is then heard saying “we are all Ghanaians and we know what is going on”, adding that “morale is… we dey for you.”
Eliminate President
The attendants then went on to discuss a sketch map of key installations that needed to be blocked and taken over on the day of the coup and ‘Chairman’ sounded pleased with the sketch saying it is “a solid plan.”
A female voice was then heard saying “looking at it erh, this man we have to eliminate him.”
‘Chairman then asked “eliminate who”, and the female voice replied “Akufo-Addo. That man we will finish him.”
They then went on to discuss the key installations that needed to be taken over and how to get weapons for the cause.
The female voice suggested that they could get amours at Base Ordnance Depot and went on to state that the Commanding Officer at Tema is her man and she will manage to get the map to the place.
She then talked about motivation and money for airtime suggesting that she cannot buy airtime on her own phone and be calling ‘Chairman’ with it.
‘Chairman’ then told her that she is an executive member and therefore, cannot say she cannot do that, and she agreed and said she would buy the airtime herself.
Hearing continues today.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak