Prosecution’s witness in treason trial tenders’ exhibits of guns and grenades in court
The tenth prosecution witness in the ongoing treason trial on Monday tendered in court some exhibits including guns and grenades intended to be used in facilitating the alleged Coup de”tat.
Mr Frank Boakye of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB formerly BNI) gave the other items as three hand smoke grenades, small brown leather bag containing nine live rounds of ammunition, Baretta pistols with two magazines: one of the magazines was empty whilst the other had six live rounds of ammunition.
This was during his evidence-in-chief, when he was being led by Mrs Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
He told the Court that those were the exhibits retrieved from the Citadel Hospital owned by Dr Frederick Mac Palm when he was arrested on Friday, September 20, 2019.
“There, we found in a wardrobe three hand smoke grenades, small brown leather bag containing nine live rounds of ammunition, found in bedroom, Baretta pistols with two magazines, one of the magazines was empty whilst the other had six live rounds of ammunition. These items were retained for investigative purposes,” the witness (W) said.
He said the others were a Revolver, two AK 47 Magazines, three locally made gun barrels among others.
DPP: “Please, take a look at this. Tell the Court what you have.”
W: “The baretta pistols and the two magazines found in the bedroom of Mac Palm.”
DPP: “You talked about the items you saw around the x-ray container can you continue?”
W: “After the team was led to the office or consulting room of Dr Mac Palm, there we saw a chemical labelled Halogen BP, we were not sure of it and when asked Mac Palm, he said it was just a normal chemical. The team was suspicious of the chemical so we decided to retain it because it was the only chemical we found at the Hospital and we detained for investigative purposes.”
DPP: Tell the Court what you have in your hand.
W: The Halogen BP we found in Mac Palm’S office. Whilst the team was not done with the search, the team decided to interview Mac Palm regarding how the guns and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) came to the premises.
“He told the team that the guns were for him and that one Kafui Donya alias Ezor manufactures them for him. He however indicated that he was not aware of the IEDs’ presence on his compound, upon further questioning, he changed his response and said the guns were for him but the IEDs were for Donya and he, Donya, made them to be used in the likely event of Nkonya Alavanyo’s conflict,” he continued.
Mr Boakye told the Court “he noted that Donya is a native of Alavanyo, based on this, a call was placed to Donya and put on loud speaker and he was asked to come to the Hospital. On arrival he was also arrested and the team interviewed him separately, not in the presence of Mac Palm.”
He said when Mac Palm was asked of the guns and IEDs, he confirmed that he (Donya) came from Alavanyo to make them for Dr Mac Palm and reiterated upon further questioning, the weapons were made for Mac Palm and he made them. The team continued the search to the bedroom of Mac Palm at the Hospital which was upstairs.
The DPP asked the witness if there were more items, of which the witness mentioned them as three hammers, four drilling machines, three pllers, a saw, spanners, two cables, sandpaper, 28 assorted or other tools including a box of drilling kits.
DPP: “Please take a look at the small box and tell the Court what you have in there.”
W: Items found in are a poly bag at the scene, a Revolver, two AK 47 Magazines, three locally made gun barrels.
DPP: Mr Boakye, what else can you say?
W: Among them, we also had an electric grinding machine, an anvil, found at the Citadel Hospital,
DPP: Can you tell the Court what is in the sack?
W: Coal, a quarter of the sack.
DPP: My lords we wish to tender them in evidence. Without any objections, the exhibits were tendered in evidence.
Dr Mac Palm, Bright Alan Debrah, Ezor, Johannes Zikpi, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class II Esther Saan, Corporal Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewe, Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Kwasi Agorzo are facing varied charges such as conspiracy to commit crime, high treason, possession of arms and abetment.
They have denied the charges and are on bail being tried by a panel of three Justices; Hafisata Amaliboba, Stephen Oppong and presided by Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe.
Source: GNA