An Accra high court on Friday denied a bail application for some eight coup suspects after a similar decision in November this year.

The high court, presided over by Justice George Buadi, in November 2019 ruled that the accused persons were lawfully arrested and have not been kept in custody unreasonably and hence denied them bail.

The eight persons who were denied bail on Friday are Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, Dornyah “Ezor” Kafui (a local weapon manufacturer), Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu (aka BB or ADC, a freight manager), Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Gershun Akpa (a civilian employee of the Armed Forces), Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Seidu Abubakar and Sylvester Akanbiri.

Their lawyer, Victor Adawudu, on Thursday accused state prosecutors of abusing their prosecutorial powers as he applied for bail again.

This was opposed by the Senior State Attorney, Hilda Craig, who said the case against the accused persons was such that once the trial starts, “the foundations of the nation will shake.”  

She urged the court to consider the seriousness of the charges and understand why the prosecutors have taken a long time to finish investigations.

Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsa on Friday dismissed the bail applications.

She advised the lawyers to file another application for bail by end of January if the case has not seen any significant progress.

Background

There are currently ten persons standing trial before the Kaneshie District Court on charges including treason felony.

WO2 Esther Saan and a senior police officer, ACP Benjamin Agordzo, along with the eight persons who have been denied bail, are said to have participated in an elaborate plot aimed at destabilising the government.

The government in a statement released in September this year said a joint security operation led to the retrieval of several cache of arms, explosive devices and ammunition from locations in Accra and Kpone-Bawaleshie in Dodowa.

Fresh bail

Lawyer for Senior Police officer ACP Agordzo, Martin Kpebu, is set to file a second application for bail today, Friday, December 20.