By Kekeli K. Blamey
The Accra High Court has sentenced six individuals, including three soldiers, to death by hanging for their involvement in a plot to overthrow the incumbent government. The convicted individuals are Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Johannes Zikpi, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewon, and Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) Esther Saan Dekuwine.
Conversely, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, and Corporal Seidu Abubakar were acquitted and discharged after the court found the prosecution had failed to prove their involvement beyond a reasonable doubt.
The three-member court, comprising Justices of the Court of Appeal Hafisata Amaleboba, and Stephen Oppong, and presided over by Mrs. Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, ruled that the evidence presented did not sufficiently implicate ACP Agordzo and Colonel Gameli. Both had been charged with abetment of crime, specifically high treason, but the court determined that the prosecution’s case was unsubstantiated.
ACP Dr. Agordzo was not proven to be part of the executive WhatsApp platform of the Take Action Ghana (TAG), the group allegedly behind the plot. The court found that the GHC2,000.00 he provided to the late Dr. Mac-Palm, alleged leader of the plot, was for medical outreach and not for funding a coup. Additionally, phrases such as “big bang” and “Arab Spring” used by Dr. Agordzo were deemed to have been taken out of context.
Colonel Gameli was similarly acquitted due to a lack of corroborating evidence. The court noted that there was no admissible evidence of a confession by the Colonel.
In contrast, the court found substantial evidence against Kafui, Debrah, Zikpi, Solomon, Akankpewon, and Dekuwine. Debrah was identified as a key recruiter for the attempted coup, organizing meetings, and facilitating the acquisition and testing of weapons. He was also captured in videos planning the use of improvised explosive devices.
Zikpi was convicted based on his own confession, while Dekuwine’s involvement was confirmed through her attendance at planning meetings and her role in recruiting soldiers. Solomon and Akankpewon were both found guilty of conspiracy, having actively participated in meetings and planning activities.
The court underscored the improbability of TAG’s need for arms and military recruitment for philanthropic activities, dismissing the defense’s claims as afterthoughts.
The trial, which began following the arrest of the accused in 2019, marks a significant legal event in Ghana, being the first treason trial since the overthrow of the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1966. The prosecution, led by Attorney General Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, presented evidence, including improvised explosive devices, locally made guns, and communications about the plot.
The sentences serve as a stark reminder of the 1992 Constitution’s stance against attempts to overthrow the government. Although the death penalty has not been enacted since the Constitution’s inception, the court’s decision aims to deter similar actions in the future.
Heavy security was present as the convicts were taken away to await punishment. The Attorney General’s team included Mrs. Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa and Mr. Alfred Tuah, among others.
