Treason Trial Begins

Accra, (Greater Accra) 28 Oct. Lanc e - Corporal Emmanuel Amoah of the first Infantry Brigade, Tema, today told a High Court in Accra that he was approached by two men sometime in August, 1994, to assist them recruit soldiers to topple the Government. Cpl. Amoah who said he was by then on guard duties at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), was the first prosecution witness in a case in which five persons charged with treason are standing trial. The five are, Alex Offei, alias Kwame Alex, 55, a technician, Kwame Ofori Appiah, 49, a cleaner, Sylvester Addai Dwomoh, 48, teacher, John Owusu Boakye, 33, student, formerly based in London and Emmanuel Osei Kofi, driver. They have pleaded not guilty and are in prison custody. Cpl. Amoah identified the first and second accused as the persons who contacted him and at one of their meetings they gave him 450,000 cedis and a mobitel phone to facilitate the operation. Led in evidence by Mr J.C. Amonoo-Monney, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Cpl. Amoah told the court that sometime in 1994, the exact month he could not say, he was on duty when Ofori approached him and asked of one Addai in his unit. Witness said when he told him he did not know that Addai, Ofori went away and came the next day with Offei who disclosed to him that they (Ofori and Offei) wanted him to recruit some soldiers and procure some grenades which would be used for staging a coup. He said when the two accused came to him they met one of his colleagues, whose name he mentioned as Owusu and asked him to help in recruiting more soldiers for the operation. Cpl. Amoah told the court that Owusu told Offei and Ofori that the recruitment would require money and that if they could provide the money, they were prepared to help. Witness said Offei told them that he sympathised with soldiers of their rank and that he was prepared to give out money provided they could also do what he had requested. Cpl Amoah said Offei told him and Owusu that he was in London when he dreamt he had staged a coup in Ghana and succeeded through a young soldier on guard duties at the GBC and that person is the witness. He said Offei and Ofori invited him and Owusu to Aams Hotel where there was further discussions on the operation. Witness said they reported the matter to the authorities who asked him and Owusu to go ahead with the discussions and help the accused persons in whatever way they wanted. Cpl Amoah said he and Owusu had several discussions with Offei and Ofori and on August 29, 1994, met another man in the company of the accused at a night club. Witness said the man was introduced to him and Owusu as Major Oppong Addai, formerly second in charge of the airborne force in Tamale and a former member of the military intelligence who is the leader of the operation. Cpl. Amoah told the court that the Major told them that while he was with the military, he attempted a coup and was arrested. Witness said he was imprisoned but escaped and that ''he needed our support this time for him to succeed and that he was prepared to give them money for their assistance''. He said Major Addai left them and in the afternoon of the same day, Offei and Ofori introduced a man whose name was given as Capt. Owoo formerly with the Recce Squadron and a member of the operation group. Witness said Capt. Owoo asked him if he knew how to operate a firing pin on the gun of a mowag stationed at the GBC. Cpl. Amoah said when he told Capt. Owoo that there are different ammunitions for the operation of mowags, Owoo told him that the other members of the operation including Offei and Ofori are civilians. Capt. Owoo aslo told him and Owusu that he had an experience of a foiled coup and that he was afraid to deal with him and Owusu. Cpl Amoah continues his evidence tomorrow. The three-member panel is presided over by Mr Justice P.K. Owusu- Sekyere. He is being assisted by Mr Justice Richard Apaloo and Ms Ivy Ashong.