Convictions for conspiracy to commit high treason.
In a significant legal development, six individuals have been found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging for their alleged involvement in a coup plot. The accused individuals, including Dr. Mac Palm (now deceased), Donya Kafui, Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, Yohannes Zikpi, Warrant Officer Class Two Esther Saan Dekuwine, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon, faced charges of conspiring to commit high treason and committing high treason.
The sentencing was delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Afia Serwaa Akoto Botchway. The panel decreed, “You’re hereby sentenced to death by hanging by the neck until your death, and your body will be buried at where the president may order.”
The convicted individuals faced varying charges, with Warrant Officer II Esther Saan Dekuwine, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, and Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason. Donya Kafui, a blacksmith, and Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, a fleet manager, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and treason, while Johannes Zikpi, a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.
During the trial, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo were charged with abetment. All ten accused individuals initially pleaded not guilty and were granted bail during the trial. The passing of Dr. Mac-Palm led to the removal of his testimony from the records, as officially confirmed by the Court.
The verdict marks a significant moment in Ghana’s legal history, with the severity of the sentences reflecting the gravity of the charges and the potential impact on national security.