The State’s second witness in the trial of persons alleged to have plotted to overthrow government, Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh says evidence available leaves him with no doubt that the founder of the Citdel Hospital, Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, is the main brain behind the alleged plot to overthrow and kill President Akufo-Addo.
Major General Andoh served with the Defence Intelligence Department of the Ghana Armed Forces during the time a top-level surveillance was mounted on persons believed to have been discussing the plot.
He was on Tuesday led by Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame to testify in the case against 10 persons including Senior Police Officer, ACP Benjamin Agordzo and Senior Military Officer, Col. Samuel Kojo Gameli.
He told the court that shortly after receiving intelligence regarding the said coup plot, an active surveillance was mounted on the suspects.
He also revealed that some of the operatives got onto the WhatsApp platform of the alleged plotters and monitored discussions.
A court order, he stated was obtained shortly after the accused persons had been picked up from various locations, to enable an assessment of their phones. This assessment, he said confirmed what had already been uncovered during the surveillance.
He said it confirmed the active participation of ACP Benjamin Agordzo whom he alleges pledged his full support and made suggestions about the need for massive violent demonstrations typical of the Arab Spring.
ACP Agordzo, according to the Military Chief was outside the country at the time. He is, however, alleged to have indicated that he was going to participate fully in all the activities of the group.
This took the form of dispatching operatives to follow some of them around while others infiltrated the ranks of the alleged plotters to record audio and video of their meetings.
He is said to have made a donation of GHC2,000 when he returned to Ghana.
Maj. Gen. Andoh continued that; “The text extraction also reveals that Col. Gameli introduced Mr. Zikpi who is a communication expert in the Signal Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces. His role was to work out the communication support for the coup plot and he proposed the acquisition of GoTa phones to conceal their communications.
“Mr. Zikpi also went ahead to contact some soldiers in the Signal Regiment to procure the GoTa phones. He also suggested the acquisition of a communication jamming equipment so that all radio stations will be jammed except the one that they will use in the announcement of the coup.”
He told the court that, the introduction of Mr. Zikpi and the role that he was to play was in tandem with the plan to jam communication that was discussed at a meeting that brought Col. Gameli into the full knowledge of the coup.“
Concluding his testimony, Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh said, “The overall summary of my submission based on the information that got to me from my operatives, BNI and the WhatsApp extractions from their telephones, my analysis is that Dr. Mac-Palm was the main brain behind the plot to overthrow the government. He took practical steps to recruit military and police officers through Bright Alan Debrah to advance his course.
“He also took steps to procure and manufacture weapons that could cause harm. When the IEDs were taken for testing by the experts, their report was that each of the IEDs could kill or cause damage to anybody within 200 meters of the point of impact.
“He provided his hospital which was meant to treat human being, for the production of IEDs which could cause destruction.”
Major General Nicholas Andoh is to be cross examined on Wednesday, June 23.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Benjamin Agordzor, senior military officer Col. Samuel Kojo Gameli and 8 others; Dr. Mac-Palm, Donyo Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah, Johannes Zikpi, WO II Esther Saan, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Corporal Ali Solomon, and Sylvester Akankpewubare are facing various charges including high treason.
Source: myjoyonline.com
