“Kitchen Knife Coupists” Ambushed On Blindside of Court in Kangaroo Tactics

Whatsup News has gathered that the infamous “Kitchen Knife coup plotters” have been ambushed and detained at the headquarters of the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) and their charges are being surreptitiously changed from treason to High Treason.

The accused were bundled back into jail with the claim that the state has filed a Nolle Prosequi to withdraw the earlier charges of ordinary treason and replace it with High Treason. Curiously, not the judge nor the lawyers of the embattled culprits are aware of the said Nolle Prosequi, Whatsup News gathered.

According to insider sources, Dr Mac Palm, the medical doctor and the Director for the Citadel Hospital cited as ringleader in the curious coup d’état and his supposed accomplices were summoned by the Senior State Attorney to meet at the NIB headquarters.

The implications are that instead of the alleged coupists getting a trial by jury, they will be trialled by three High Court judges as required in high treason charges.

The entire process has been described as an unprecedented abuse of power and usurpation of the powers of the judiciary. For instance, Nolle prosequi can only be obtained from the court in the presence of the legal representatives of the accused, where the trial judge will order the case to be withdrawn for alternative charges if any. None of this happened, Whatsup News gathered.

This inexplicable treatment of the so-called coupists re-echoes the recent Afrobarometer report where some 85% of Ghanaians cite the courts as extremely corrupt.

The Court of Justice Samuel K. Asiedu, an Appeal Court Judge with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, adjourned the case to May 4, 2021 out of concern over the upsurge in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections.

Suspects, Dr Mac Palm, , Donyo, alias Ezor, a blacksmith, Debrah a Freight Manager, WO2 Saan, Corporal Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali and Sylvester Akanpewu all soldiers, were arrested in September 2019.

Later, Colonel Kojo Gameli and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Korsi Agordzo, who are senior military and police officers, were also arrested.

 All the accused persons who belonged to “Take Action Ghana,” a Non-Governmental Organization, had been accused by the Government of plotting to overthrow President Akufo-Addo.

The arrest and the coup plot allegation had led to public trolling when the government took photographs of weapons that the group was allegedly plotting to use for the operation – among the weaponry was a kitchen knife.

As the public trolled the government over what was seen as unhealthy paranoia, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, responded to the trolls adding that the suspects had also purchased sacks of dry pepper to be used in the manufacture of local bombs for the alleged coup.

Prosecutors would however later appear before court and provide a finer case statement, abandoning the alleged pepper bombs and kitchen knife that the suspects had earlier been alleged to have prepared to use to overthrow Akufo-Addo.

As the Ghana News Agency reports, the Prosecution had earlier told the court that in June 2018, security agencies had picked up intelligence of the “Take Action Ghana” group’s intention to overthrow the government and usurp executive powers, and that, they had several meetings to that effect at the expense of Dr Mac Palm.

The prosecution said investigations revealed that the group was incorporated in August 2018 and a WhatsApp platform was created to recruit members, where ACP Agorzo was added and he supports them with GH¢1,000.00 and drafted a speech for Dr Mac Palm.

On September 19, 2019, Dr Mac Palm and Donyo went to the Military Shooting Range to test fire and they were arrested, after their release, they went to the Hospital to conceal the manufactured weapons but luck eluded them when the military and other security agencies stormed the place the next day, leading to their arrest.