Coup plot: Jury not ready, case adjourned to November 20

The Commercial Division of the Accra High Court has said members of the jury are not ready for the court to empanel it which will see the commencement of the trial of the 10 persons who have been held for an alleged coup plot.

In court for the first time in the new legal year on Thursday when the case was called, Hilda Craig, Senior State Attorney told the court that the business of the day was to empanel the jury.

This was after she informed the court that prosecution has complied with the court’s order for them to serve the accused persons with disclosure documents.

She said the documents were filed on September 23, 2020 but some of the lawyers of the defence team said they were yet to receive their copies.

But the court presided over by Justice Samuel Asiedu, Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting with the additional responsibility of a High Court judge in response to the business of the day regarding empanelling of the jury said the registrar of the court has informed the court that, members of the jury are not ready.

According to the court, letters have been served on various organizations to get their members ready but they are now responding to those letters.

The court, therefore, adjourned the case to November 20, 2020 hoping that members of the jury would be ready for it to be empanelled.

The court has also directed prosecution to ensure that all lawyers are served with the disclosure documents to enable them to prepare before the next court date.

Meanwhile, lawyers of Esther Saan, the only female among the 10 accused persons would on October 22, move a motion for bail variation.

Background

The Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Agodzor, Dr Frederick Yao Mac Palm, and eight others who have been held for allegedly plotting to distabilise the state have pleaded not guilty to six charges.

ACP Benjamin Agodzor, and Dr Mac Palm, the man accused of masterminding the alleged plot; together with eight others have been slapped with six separate charges including treason felony.

The rest of Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, Johannes Zikpi, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon all denied any wrongdoing.

Dr. Mac-Palm, Dornyor Kafui, Allan Debrah Ofosu, Dekuwine, Abubakar, L/Cpl Akanpewon and Zikpi are on charges of conspiracy to commit treason felony and treason felony.

Dr Mac-Palm and Kafui have been separately charged with conspiracy to possess explosives and ammunition without lawful excuse and possession of explosives and ammunition without lawful excuse.

Col Gameli and ACP Dr Agordzo have been charged with abetment to treason felony.

The Commercial Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Samuel Asiedu however served an indication that, “when I start the trial, it will be on a daily basis (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday and Fridays).

The prosecution have been directed to serve the prosecution with all the processes and documents it intend to rely on.

The Court also ordered the registrar of the court to serve a trial warrant on the prison authorities to produce the accused persons to court if they could not meet their bail conditions.