Attorney General, Godfred Dame says his outfit will rely on the testimonies of 19 witnesses to prosecute the ten persons standing trial for their role in an alleged attempt to destabilise the country.
The ten, including a senior police officer, ACP Benjamin Agordzo, whose initial trial was discontinued, were arraigned on Saturday and are facing new charges of high treason.
The ten have since been granted bail, with the case adjourned to May 25, 2021.
Godfred Dame has expressed readiness to pursue the case as the prosecution has been ordered to file disclosures by May 17, 2021.
“They actually set out to plan on how the President would announce his own overthrow and, in furtherance of that agenda, they set out to manufacture various explosives. They tested those weapons, so you saw a clear physical act on their part, in pursuance of their plan. The Constitution is quite clear that any person, whether acting by himself or in consent with others, who sets out to overthrow the government of Ghana commits an offence and that offence is that of high treason.”
Agordzo, nine others plead not guilty
ACP Agordzo and nine others have pleaded not guilty to charges of abetment of high treason, conspiracy to commit high treason and high treason.
The prosecution, led by the Attorney General entered a nolle prosequi – a decision to no longer prosecute – in the previous case for which a jury had been selected and slapped the accused with fresh charges of high treason and conspiracy to commit high treason.
The ten were rearrested on Friday, April 23, 2021, by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and arraigned before an Accra High Court.
The lawyers for the accused prayed the court to grant their clients bail.
Godfred Dame, who did not oppose the bail application, however, asked the court to make the bail conditions severe, should the application be granted.
All the accused persons are said to belong to a group called Take Action Ghana.
In June 2018, security agencies picked up intelligence of the group’s alleged plan to overthrow the government and usurp executive powers.
Source: citinewsroom.com
