COP/Mr. Nathan Kofi Boakye
It has emerged that the top superior police officer, who was invited by the security agencies over the ongoing investigations into an alleged coup plot, is COP/Mr. Nathan Kofi Boakye.
When DAILY GUIDE reached him yesterday, he said he was invited by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), but said “I did not keep long. I went there at about 9 am and by 9.30 am I had left the place. I went there myself and explained things to them. It was not an arrest; it was a chat.”
He emphatically denied his involvement in the coup plot when he said “it must be noted that I have absolutely nothing to do with coup plot directly or indirectly for the avoidance of doubt.”
“I was neither arrested nor am I on bail. There is nothing like what is being said,” he added.
Alajo Doctor Connection
On whether or not he was contacted by the proprietor of the Citadel Hospital at Alajo in Accra, Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palme, the alleged mastermind of the coup, for any project, COP Kofi Boakye said “after my Ayawaso speech at the New Year School, the doctor approached me and said he likes me.”
“He told me about a political movement and would want me to be part but I told him that I was not interested. I referred him to Osofo Kyiri Abosom who has formed a political movement,” he added.
Standard Procedure
COP Kofi Boakye said it was a standard procedure that “when a person’s name is mentioned in a message as in robbery, coup or even terrorism that person should be invited.”
Security Hint
On Saturday morning, DAILY GUIDE was hinted about how Dr. Mac Palme’s request to COP Kofi Boakye to join a political movement called ‘Take Action Ghana’ led to the latter declining but rather, according to what he told investigators, referred the doctor to a certain Reverend who had formed a political movement. He told the doctor that since he is a serving officer, he could not be part of such a group, according to the investigators.
Main Invitation
The security operatives invited COP Kofi Boakye because according to them his name had appeared several times in the conversations among the suspected plotters who are being held for treason. Investigators have so much audio and video evidence about the plot of the suspects being held.
It was a consummation of 15 months of investigation which led to the constant monitoring of the suspects spanning Burma Camp to a location by the beach overlooking the Engineer Regiment barracks at Teshie in Accra.
Coup Speech
COP Kofi Boakye in his chat with DAILY GUIDE expressed surprise at how he could be the one to read a coup speech, an allegation which made the headlines late last week but without any name attached.
Kyiri Abosom
Osofo Kyiri Bosom is the alias for Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews, Founder and Overseer of the Life Assembly Worship Centre.
He has formed a political movement — Ghana Union Movement (GUM) —whose application for certification has been submitted to the Electoral Commission (EC).
Coup Investigation
Last weekend, news broke out about COP Kofi Boakye and a certain ACP/Mr. Agbozor being invited over the alleged coup plot by Dr. Mac Palme, now subject of a court proceeding.
Speculations
There was heightened speculation about who could be the top police cop whose name popped up as the one to read the coup plotters’ speech had they succeeded in overthrowing the government of President Akufo-Addo.
Citadel Hospital
The rather largely unknown Citadel Hospital made the headlines when the proprietor of the facility was arrested by security personnel because of an illegal Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) production line was found within the confines of the hospital.
Investigations led to the unearthing of other firearms both within the facility and elsewhere.
Some inputs of the IEDs such as surgical needles and others were acquired at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
It eventually turned out that the suspects arrested in connection with the case, one of the serving Colonel in the Ghana Army, planned to overthrow the government. They have been charged for treason and have made initial appearances in court.
NDC Derision
When news about the coup plot made the headlines, former President John Mahama and his party derided it. Mr. Mahama described it as a ‘bentua’ coup.
For him, the array of weapons displayed could not be used for the kind of operation being alleged.
Government sources in a counter claim stated that as the days elapsed and evidence began to be displayed including details which would appear during court proceedings, skeptics would see clearly what really happened in the course of the 15-month surveillance.
Whistle Blower
It took a Warrant Officer’s whistle to alert the security about the plot, DAILY GUIDE learnt.
When the said Warrant Officer was said to have been contacted, he feigned interest but quickly reported the matter to the top of the security hierarchy whereupon the monitoring commenced.
A sophisticated gadget for deciphering details of phone conversations and messages among others played critical roles in the investigation which involved personnel of the Defence Intelligence Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces, Criminal Investigations Department, BNI and operatives of the National Security apparatus.
Key Suspects
The civilians who have been accused are Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palme, a doctor and the alleged mastermind behind the coup plot; Donya Kafui, aka Ezor, a local weapon manufacturer (blacksmith) from Alavanyo, and Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, aka BB or ADC.
The military officers caught in the alleged coup plot included a senior officer, Col. Samuel Kojo Gameli; Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Lance Corporal Sylvester Akapewu, Lance Corporal Seidu Abubakar and one WO II Esther Saan, aka Mama Gee, of the Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS), and also a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Force, Gershon Akpa.
By A.R. Gomda