Ezor gives his evidence-in-chief in treason trial

Donya Kafui, alias Ezor, who is standing trial for allegedly plotting with others to overthrow the government has denied he manufactured guns to stage a coup.

Ezor, the second witness in the ongoing treason trial told the High Court that he was invited by Staff Sergeant Sule Kwadwo Awarf, the star prosecution’s witness, to Accra to repair guns and make pipes for musketry.

He said he was told the guns were for the military high command.

Ezor told the court that Awarf brought two guns for test firing at the military shooting range, Teshie, and that during the process, he, together with the late Dr Frederick Mac-Palm who accompanied Awarf were arrested, and the weapons seized.

He said the gun repairs and the making of the pipes for musketry were not meant for criminal activities.

The Court presided over by a three-member-panel made including Justices Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, Hafisata Amaleboba and Stephen Oppong, all Appeal Court judges with additional responsibility as high court judges heard that Ezor, a steel bender, welder, and blacksmith, lived in Alavanyo.

However, in the witness statement he had earlier given to the police indicated that he was a blacksmith and farmer, which earned him the best farmer in the Hohoe Municipality in 2011.

Ezor who is currently standing trial with eight others said in July 2019, he had a call from Awarf, a soldier, to come to Accra.

On arrival in Accra, he was picked up at the 37 Military Hospital bus stop and sent me to Dr Mac Palm’s place.

“Later, Staff Sergeant Awarf, asked me to repair some guns for him whilst I lodged with him at Burma Camp, but I declined thus, I was taken to the Citadel Hospital, owned by late Mac-Palm,” Ezor said.

Ezor said he started cutting the pipes for musketry at the Citadel Hospital when Awarf also brought him the guns to be repaired.

He said after the test firing which led to their arrest, he did not hear from Awarf again.

In a Cross-examination by another accused person, Bright Alan Debrah’s defence counsel Ezor was asked whether he knew Debrah and he affirmed that he knew him.

Ezor said he got to know Debrah when Awarf took him to the late Dr Mac-Palm’s house and again when Debrah visited the Hospital, but they however did not discuss the overthrow of the government.

Debrah also did not discuss plans of producing weapons to carry out the alleged overthrow.

He said as a steel bender, he (Ezor) employed other hands whenever he had a lot of work and when he was sometimes engaged outside Alavanyo.

Ezor emphasized that he did not make guns but only repaired single-barrelled and locally-made ones.

Ezor and Debrah are standing trial with Johannes Zikpi, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewon, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo.

They are facing charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, high treason, possession of weapons and abetment of crime.

All the nine accused persons have denied their respective charges and have been granted bail.

Source: GNA