Alleged coup plot: Accused appeals for medical attention at Korle-Bu

Lawyer for Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, the Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Hospital, at Alajo, Accra, who is charged with conspiracy to commit crime and treason, has appealed to the Kaneshie District to order the police to send his client to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Mr Victor Adawudu made the appeal yesterday after it emerged that the Police Hospital did not have a specialist to attend to the health needs of Dr Mac-Palm.

His appeal comes barely a fortnight ago, when the court granted a similar request made by Mr Adawudu, and ordered the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) to send the medical practitioner for treatment at the Ghana Police Hospital.

Mr Adawudu told the court presided by Mrs Elleanor Kakra Bans to consider the health of his client and refer him to Korle-Bu where he could access quality treatment.

On January 24, 2020, the court gave the order for accused to be taken to the Police Hospital for medical attention, after the court heard that the BNI was against the decision to send Dr Mac-Palm to the Police Hospital.

Mr Adawudu, stated that Dr Mac-Palm had expressed concern over the medication he was given at the BNI Hospital few weeks ago.

Dr Mac-Palm was charged together with Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Benjamin Agordzor and eight others for attempting to destabilise the country and overthrow the government.

Samuel Kojo Gameli, a senior military officer, Gershon Akpa, a civilian employee at the Ghana Armed Forces, Warrant Officer II (WOII) Esther Doku, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Lance Corporal Sylvester Akapewu and Corporal Seidu Abubakar and Donyon Kafui, a local weapon manufacturer had been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and treason, while ACP Agordzor was charged with abetment of crime.

The facts according to the prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare are that Dr Mac-Palm and his colleagues belonged to an association called Take Action Ghana (TAG), and had planned to stage demonstrations, ostensibly to topple the government.

ASP Asare said in July this year, accused contacted a blacksmith from Alavanyo, in the Volta Region, to manufacture 22 explosives, six ammunitions and five pistols.

The court heard that the manufacturer charged alleged accomplices GH¢2,300 as the cost of each pistol and GH¢400.00 for each explosive.

Prosecution said on September 19, Dr Mac-Palm and Kafui were arrested after test-firing at Teshie military shooting range.

The court heard that a search conducted on the premises of the Citadel Hospital revealed six unregistered pistols, one registered pistol, 22 explosives, three grenades, 63 rounds of ammunition, two empty AK47 magazines and other machines used in manufacturing weapons.