Alleged coup: I’ve not manufactured guns to stage coup – Kafui Donya

Donya Kafui, one of the remaining nine accused persons standing trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government has denied manufacturing guns to stage a coup.

Kafui, also known as Ezor, is a Blacksmith and a Wielder who was said to have manufactured guns and other ammunitions to stage a coup, that was masterminded by the late Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm,

Opening his defence in an ongoing trial on Monday, following the demise of Dr Mac -Palm, he said, “I have not manufactured any guns for the purpose of this crime.”

He told a three member panel (Justices of the Court of Appeal) of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe that as part of his work, he repair guns and pipes for funeral musketry.

Donya Kafui, who has pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy and high treason told the court that, in 2011 he was nominated as the ‘Best Farmer’ in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region.

According to him, in July 2019, he had a call from a solder that he should help him prepare a signage (sign board)

He told the court that he met the said soldier at 37 by name Sule Awarf, who then introduced him to Dr Mac-Palm.

Sule Awarf, is the 3rd Prosecution Witness (PW3) in the case who had testified as the one who feigned interest in the coup plot and recorded activities of the group until they were arrested.

Ezor, the 2nd Accused told the court that it was when he got to Accra that PW3 introduced “me to the subject and PW3 asked that I manufacture some guns for him.”

He said Dr Mac-Palm then also asked that he manufactures funeral musketry for him to be used at a funeral.

He told the court that though Sule Awarf offered him a place at Burma Camp he refused and he was then kept at the Citadel Hospital, a health facility owned by Dr Mac-Palm, now called to glory.

Ezor told the court that, Sule Awarf then brought “me some guns to repair which he said were from the military” and “visited me time to time.”

He said in September 2019, Sule Awarf suggested that “we go and test two of those guns and when we got to the Laboma Beach, Sule fired the two guns” and soon after they were arrested but later left to go home.

The accused told the court that from that moment, he did not hear from Sule Awarf again until September 19, 2019 when he was home together with his brother Johnny Donya when he received a call.

“I was called by Sule to come to the Citadel Hospital premises and when I went there I was arrested by Bureau of National Investigations (now National Intelligence Bureau).”

Donya Kafui told the court that he was taken to the Police Station and when asked to write his statement, he told them he cannot speak English.

He said his statement was then taken in the Ewe language.

*we are not against anybody*

Meanwhile, the panel which also includes Justice Hafisata Amaleboba and Justice Stephen Oppong, urged the accused persons to desist acts that portray that the judges are agains them.

This was after two of the accused persons claims their plea were taken in Buuli language when the court was sorting out interpretatora for two of the accused who elected to speak Twi and Ewe.

When checked, it was on records that their plea were taken in English prompting Justice Stephen Oppong to offer them some education.

“You people want to portray us that we are against you. That’s not true, we are also doing our work.

“Your are not supposed to be doing this. When you do this you are not helping anybody,” Justice Oppong remarked.

EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that, the prosecution led by the Director of Public Prosecution Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa is expected to continue with the cross examination.