‘Coup’ plotters planned to attack Defense ministry – Derrick Oduro

Deputy Minister for Defense, Major Derrick Oduro, has disclosed that the three individuals who are being held for attempting attack the presidency also planned to attack the defense ministry.

“The intelligence we gathered at a point indicated that these young men wanted to attack the Defense Ministry,” he told Morning Starr sit-in host Lantam Papanko Wednesday.

He, however, added the military is yet to ascertain the actual roles the officers in custody over the matter played in the whole plot dismissing claims the security agencies rushed with their conclusions.

“As we speak, we cannot tell whether the military men alleged to be involved were informants. Let’s keep our fingers crossed as things unfold. We didn’t rush in putting the information out there. The information came in at the right time”.

Meanwhile, the three suspects have been hit with five charges.

The charges do not include treason as was earlier thought per the government statement.

A government statement Monday said they planned to distabilise the country and also attempted to attack the Presidency.

At the magistrate court Tuesday however, they were charged with; 1. Conspiracy to commit a crime – Manufacture of arms and ammunition without lawful authority.

2. Conspiracy to commit a crime – Possession of explosives and firearms without lawful authority.

3. Manufacture of firearms without lawful authority.

4. Manufacture of explosives and ammunition’s without lawful authority

5. Possession of explosives and firearms.

Meanwhile, a private legal practitioner representing the three suspects says the weapons exhibited by the government do not belong to his clients.

Victor Adawudu in an interview with Starr News stated that his clients completely deny owning most of the weapons found at the Citadel Hospital and exhibited by the government to back its claims that his clients were attempting to destabilise the country.