“Kitchen Knife Coupists” say Guns Were for their Protection

The defence lawyer for the seven people charged for treason felony in the popular “Kitchen Knife” coup d’état have explained that the crude guns found allegedly in the possession of the suspects were for protecting them.

According to Victor Adawudu, his clients bought the guns to protect members of a group called Take Action Ghana which has been at the centre of the controversial coup. The lawyer claims the guns were not meant for any coup d’etat as the Akufo Addo administration and security agencies claim.

The defence counsel told an Accra High court Monday, that members of the group were attacked during an outreach program in the northern part of the country, prompting the leaders of the group, to buy and register the said the guns on the advice of a serving soldier identified only as “Sulley” who is not standing trial, Mr Adawudu explained.

Mr Adawudu on Monday urged the presiding judge, Justice George Buadi, to grant his clients bail, but the court refused.

A Senior State Attorney, Hilda Craig, argued that there was no reason for the suspects to possess guns. “The activities of these persons do not show that they are NGO’s who needed weapons. Why not contact the police if they had concerns” she said.

“As far as we are concerned, they had one intention, to overthrow the state. The state has overwhelming evidence and will provide it at the right time,” she said.

Last month, the Akufo Addo administration pressed the panic button when it issued a statement that a joint security operation led to the retrieval of several caches of arms, explosive devices, and ammunition from different locations in Accra, including the Citadel Hospital in Alajo-Accra, owned by  medical doctor alleged to be the ring leader of the group, Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm.

The members of ‘Take Action Ghana’ (TAG), a group which according to the state included serving military officers intended to engage in a series of demonstrations geared at toppling the government.

According to state prosecutors, various sums of money were paid to obtain six pistols, some explosives and a further plan to buy two AK 47s at a price of ¢7,000.

Since the incident, some military officers and a number of top police officers have been picked up including Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr. Benjamin Adordzor, Commissioner of Police (COP) Kofi Boakye and Superintendent Peter Lanchene Toobu, the former Executive Secretary to the immediate-past Inspector General of Police (IGP) David Asante Apeatu. Some of the military officers named in the alleged plot are: Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, Geshon Akpa, Warrant Officer Esther, Lance Corporals Seidu Abubakar, Solomon Ali and Sylvester Akankpewu, they are all facing charges ranging from conspiracy to commit treason, treason, conspiracy to possess explosives, arms and ammunition as well as possession of explosives, arms and ammunition without lawful excuse.