The Chief of Staff at the General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh, has told the Financial Division of the Accra High Court that bombs, which were locally manufactured for the allegedly overthrow of the Akufo-Addo government, had the potential to kill people within 200 metres radius.
Led in his evidence in chief by the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, he said the Improved Explosive Devices (IEDS) were allegedly manufactured at Citadel Clinic, a healthcare centre owned by Dr Fred Mac-Palm, first accused person (A1), in the coup plot trial.
Maj. Gen. Andoh told the three-member panel of judges – Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, George Oppong and Hafisata Amaleboba – yesterday that the IEDs were retrieved together with some locally manufactured pistols from A1’s premises.
He said after the IEDs were sent to experts for examination, they detected that each of the IEDs could kill people within 200 metres radius.
According to him, Dr Mac-Palm had even gone ahead to test the pistols at a beach, and was arrested by the Southern Military Command for that action.
Dr MacPalm also had plans to procure a chemical which was going to cause further damage within a certain radius of the bombs.
He said Dr Mac-Palm, who is standing trial together with nine others, including senior security officers, was the main brain behind the plans to overthrow the government.
Dr Fred Mac-Palm is standing trial with Donyo Kafui, Sylvester Akankpewu, Colonel Gameli, Johannes Zikpi, WO II Esther Saan, Seidu Abubakar, Bright Allan Debrah, and ACP Benjamin Korsi Agordzo over alleged conspiracy to commit high treason, high treason, and abetment.
According to him, A1, in an attempt to perfect his plan, took practical steps to recruit military and police personnel to advance his cause.
The Chief of Staff further added that Dr Mac-Palm had an intention to cause maximum damage or kill, a reason he used his hospital premises meant for providing healthcare for people into a centre for IEDs production.
He said each of the accused persons being tried at the court was playing a role for the government to be overthrown.
Maj. Gen. Andoh indicated to the court that the silver lining of the alleged coup attempt was that Ghana was not ready for democracy, a reason its economic and social environment were in chaos.
He said Dr Mac-Palm, through one of his accomplices, Allan Bright Deborah, in a meeting with WOII Esther Saan @ Mama Gee and one Sergeant Awarf Sule, stated that the country needed a major change, and that those who shared in his aspiration were ready to effect change.
For their aspiration to be achieved, the group needed the support of the military to effect that change.
The Major General averred that Dr Mac-Palm made the statement when Sergeant Awarf Sule was being introduced to him by Mama Gee to join their group.
At the said meeting, Dr Mac-Palm allegedly informed Sergeant Awarf that he had already made contact with some senior military and police persons, who shared in the group’s aspirations and were ready to overthrow the government.
Dr Mac-Palm was reported to have said that democracy was not good for the country, because the main political parties – National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) – were corrupt.
He said Dr Mac-Palm, acting through Allan for the recruitment of the security officers, tried everything possible to convince the soldiers to believe in the cause that the coup plot was in the interest of the soldiers and their families.
To make their coup adventure more attractive to the soldiers, Allan told Sergeant Awarf, who blew the cover of their plan, that the 1979 coup was led by the junior rank soldiers before the senior officers came on board.
The Major General added that Mama Gee, in her communications with the group, insisted on the President being killed.
However, Allan, in a meeting with Sergeant Awarf and another, was torn between the decision as to whether to kill or capture him (President Akufo-Addo) alive.
He said Allan was divided in his thoughts over where to keep the President after his capture.
The Chief of Staff postulated that the group also discussed at their meetings to block or capture key areas during the coup.
Areas that were mentioned to be captured or blocked include the Base Ammunitions Depot, which is the main storage of the ammunition for the GAF, neutralisation of the Air Force Base, the Base Ordnance Depot and certain major roads.
The roads they targeted to be blocked included that of Accra-Takoradi, Accra-Kumasi, Accra-Aflao, and others.
There were also plans to win public sympathy against the government of the day.
However, Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh told the court that every meeting held by the group was captured on audio, as well as video.
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