Coup plotters planned unprecedented civil uprising – Witness reveals

The first prosecution witness in the alleged coup plot case has revealed that the accused persons had planned to organise an uprising to oust President Akufo-Addo over corruption issues.

Director of Operational Intelligence at the Ghana Armed Forces, Colonel Isaac Amponsah, told the Accra High Court that the 10 accused persons slapped with high treason had planned to capitalise heavily on social media.

He said the accused persons who appeared to be overwhelmed with the level of corruption in the country described a two-way approach to victory.

On Monday, June 14, Colonel Amponsah said the accused persons sort to instigate a social media uprising and also mobilise a mass civil uprising.

He made this revelation on Monday, during his cross-examination with Victor Kodjoga Adawudu.

Colonel Amponsah said the activities of the accused persons were monitored within a 15-month window, from June 2018 to September 2019, leading to their arrest on September 20, 2019.

The Director of Operational Intelligence said the accused persons operated under the name Take Action Ghana (TAG) and described themselves as a civil revolutionary movement very similar to the Arab Spring but very dynamic in nature.

“TAG is an untraditional civil revolutionary movement intending to galvanize and mobilize the masses in an unprecedented civil uprising that will force a new constitution to shut down the current government including Parliament and the Executive branch of the Flagstaff House,” Col. Amponsah told the court.

The state witness elaborated on the phases by which the aims and objectives of TAG were to be achieved.

In the first phase, TAG was to be registered as a political party with bank accounts, a website, and a social media presence.

The second phase was then supposed to culminate in “a mass civil uprising that will lead to the occupation of the Flagstaff House and Parliament, shut down of the government, arrest of people who have stolen money and [probe] of all government deals from Rawlings’ era to date”.

He further insisted that the group targeted and sought to get churches, leaders, and the international community to join the cause.

Background

It has been over a year since the high-ranking police officer, ACP Benjamin Agodzor, was charged with abetment to treason felony.

A medical doctor, Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm, has been accused of being the plot’s mastermind.

The eight other accused persons are Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, Johannes Zikpi, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon and Corporal Slyvester Akanpewon.

The accused persons were earlier slapped with six separate charges, including treason felony contrary to section 23 (1) and 182 (b) of the criminal and other offences Act, 1960.

Dr Mac-Palm, Dornyor Kafui, Allan Debrah Ofosu, Dekuwine, Abubakar, L/Cpl Akanpewon and Zikpi are on conspiracy charges to commit treason felony and treason felony.

Dr Mac-Palm and Kafui have been separately charged with conspiracy to possess explosives and ammunition without lawful excuse and possession of explosives and ammunition without lawful excuse.

Col Gameli and ACP Dr Agordzo have been charged with abetment to treason felony.

Alleged Coup Plot

In June 2018, security agencies arrested members of the ‘Take Action Ghana’ for an “elaborate plot targeted at the Presidency”.

As part of the plot, Dr Mac-Palm, Kafui and Debrah planned on kidnapping the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chief of the Defence Staff and force the President to announce his overthrow.

In furtherance of the plot, Dr Mac-Palm invited Kafui, who was a blacksmith at Alavanyo, to Accra to manufacture explosives and pistols for the group.

Regarding ACP Dr Agordzo, he is said to have donated GH¢2,000 to TAG to aid its cause and drafted a speech for Dr Mac-Palm to be read at a planned demonstration by TAG.

The case is currently being tried before an Accra High Court with Justice Hafisata Amaleboba, Justice George Oppong and Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, presiding.

The case has been adjourned to June 15 for continuation.