My client was invited for a party not to plan coup – lawyer
Mr Bede Tukuu, counsel for Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, accused of planning to overthrow the government, has told the High Court that his client was invited for a party not to plan a coup.
“You said there was a meeting on June 22, 2018, at the Next Door Beach Resort where the accused attended together with some soldiers,” he asked Colonel Isaac Amponsah, first prosecution witness in the trial, and he answered yes.
He also asked the witness whether he knew or investigated what Ali was told before he attended the meeting and he said no but said his client knew the mission because when Bright Allan Debrah, his accomplice, was addressing the meeting, he asked whether they all knew why they had met and all answered in the affirmative.
Mr Tukuu therefore told the witness that, ” I am suggesting to you that Ali was told that there was a party going on there for which he passed by.”
He continued that since they served food and drinks at the Resort, that gathering was a party but Colonel Amponsah told the Court that on that day, the meeting neither served food nor drinks and per the video, there was no party.
He again suggested to the witness that Ali never contributed at the meeting whereby the video or audio recordings being referred to heard and saw participants discuss how many people they were targeting, number of military personnel to be used, among others.
Colonel Amponsah said his client took part by asking a question which was later clarified by his colleagues to Debrah.
Colonel Amponsah previously told the Court in his evidence-in-chief how the accused persons met between June 2018 and September 2019 to plan, acquire weapons and sketch areas to be blocked on the day of the high treason.
He said all the meetings were captured on both audio and video with the assistance of one Sergeant Awarf Sule of the Intelligence Operation Department of the Ghana Armed Forces, who was allegedly recruited into the group by WOII Esther Saan, also an accused.
WOII Esther’s lawyer challenged the witness that there was no audio or video recordings of his client partaking in discussions to overthrow government but witness debunked it.
Colonel Samuel Kojo’s lawyer in his defense, said if one was in trouble, he would call his friend that was why Colonel Gameli was called by Mac Palm’s nurse when he (Mac Palm) was arrested.
Ali, Debrah, Mac Palm and Esther together with Donyo Kafui, Sylvester Akankpewu, Johannes Zikpi, Seidu Abubakar, Colonel Gameli and ACP Benjamin Korsi Agordzo, have been charged with conspiracy to commit high treason, high treason and abetment.
They have all denied their various charges and are remaining on their former varied bail.
They are being tried by three-panelled-judges: justices Hafisata Amaleboba, George Oppong and presided over by Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe.
The trial has been adjourned to June 14, 2021.
Source: GNA