“Six Sentenced to Death for Treason, Three Found Not Guilty”

The Accra High Court has sentenced six persons, including three soldiers, to death by hanging for plotting to overthrow the incumbent government. The six are Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Johannes Zikpi, Lance Airforce Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akankpewon, and Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) Esther Saan Dekuwine.

The three-member Court, composed of Justices of the Court of Appeal Hafisata Amaleboba, Stephen Oppong, and presided over by Mrs Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, found the six guilty of high treason. However, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, and Corporal Seidu Abubakar were acquitted and discharged due to lack of evidence.

The prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that ACP Agordzo and Colonel Gameli took part in the attempted plan, and Corporal Seidu Abubakar was found not guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.

The Court established that Debrah was tasked by the late Dr Mac-Palm to recruit others for the attempted overthrow, and he held meetings with his accomplices to discuss how to acquire weapons. The Court also found that Kafui made improvised explosive devices and locally made weapons, and that Debrah supplied them with cellular phones to ease communication.

The prosecution presented evidence, including videos and WhatsApp conversations, that showed the accused discussing their plans to overthrow the government. The Court found that the accused’s actions were treasonable and punishable by law, and sentenced them to death by hanging.

This is the first treason trial in Ghana since the 1992 Constitution came into effect, and it is intended to deter others from attempting similar acts. The convicts were taken away to await their punishment, and the Attorney General’s Detail, led by Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, was present in court.