ACP Agordzo to sue state following acquittal on treason charge

Lawyer Martin Kpebu, counsel for Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agordzo has stated that his client will sue the state over what he says was a frivolous case brought against him in the recently concluded treason trial.

An Accra High Court on Wednesday, January 24, 2023, sentenced six individuals to death by hanging after finding them guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason and committing high treason.

The Court, however, acquitted ACP Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and one other junior military officer, Corporal Seidu Abubakar who were also part of the accused persons.

Speaking to journalists following the court’s ruling, Martin Kpebu described the charges brought against his client as frivolous and noted that his client will sue the state for compensation.

“The state wrote a very frivolous case, frivolous to the highest degree around his neck and today you see the court has exonerated him.

"We will sue the state for compensation because this case has always been frivolous against him from day one,” he told reporters.

The six sentenced to death imclude three soldiers; Donya Kafui, aka Ezor (a blacksmith) and Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu (a fleet manager), were found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and treason, while Johannes Zikpi (a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces) was found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.

The three soldiers – Warrant Officer II Esther Saan Dekuwine, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.

Background

Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, the Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Hospital (now deceased) and ACP Dr. Agordzo together with eight others were charged variously on April 24, 2021, for conspiracy to high treason, abetment to high treason and high treason.

Dr Mac Palm (A1- now Deceased), Donya Kafui alias Ezor (A2), Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu alias Bright Alan Yeboah (A3), Yohannes Zikpi (A4), Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan Dekuwine (A6), Cpl Seidu Abubakar (A7), Lance Corporal Ali Solomon (A8) and Cpl Sylvester Akanpewon (A9) were charged for conspiracy to commit high and high treason.

Col. Samuel Kodzo Gameli (A5) and ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo (A10) have each been charged for abetment.

All 10 accused (then) pleaded not guilty and have been granted bail while standing trial.

However, following the death of Dr Mac-Palm (A1) who was then in the witness box giving testimony, his evidence was deleted from the records after his passing away was confirmed to the Court.

GA/SARA