Ghanaians have been advised to desist from ridiculing and dismissing the alleged “coup plot” by some persons to destabilise the government and create insecurity.
Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, a Deputy Minister of Information, gave the advice in reaction to some comments made by some self-acclaimed security analysts, who dismissed the government statement on the matter during a media briefing in Accra on Thursday.
The Deputy Minister said there were sufficient video and audio evidence, which testified to the fact that, the suspected “coup plotters” had ulterior motive to create insecurity in the country.
He said there had been instances in America and India where one person used just a single gun and bullet to assassinate a sitting President and Prime Minister.
He cited the assassination of US President J.F. Kennedy and Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandhi as a case in point and therefore, entreated Ghanaians to support the security agencies in their investigations and prosecution so that the perpetrators would face the full rigours of the law.
It would be recalled that a joint security operation of personnel drawn from the Defence Intelligence, Criminal Investigation Department and Bureau of National Investigations on Friday, September 20, neutralised a plot to destabilise the government, according to a statement issued by Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Information Minister, on Monday, September 23.
It said operation successfully led to the arrest of three persons and retrieval of several arms, explosive devices and ammunition from locations in Accra and Bawaleshie near Dodowa.
It said the operation neutralised an elaborate plot targeted at the Presidency, and with the ultimate aim of destabilising the country, and that the arrest and seizure followed a 15-month surveillance and gathering of evidence on the activities of the suspects.
It named Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, a Medical Practitioners and Managing Director of Citadel Hospital, as the key suspect and his two accomplices, Mr Ezor Kafui, a local weapon manufacturer and Mr Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, alias BB or ABC, a Freightwarder.
They retrieved five locally manufactured pistols with magazines fitted on them, a foreign pistol with registration number PX154006, three locally manufactured pistol barrels and three smoke grenades.
Other items retrieved included 22 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), 9 x 7.62mm NATO AK47 rounds, two AK47 magazines and a long Knife at the Citadel Hospital, Alajo, a suburb of Accra.
The statement said surveillance on the activities of the persons involved in the planned coup d’etat commenced in June 2018, when Dr Mac-Palm and Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu started organising a series of meetings at the Next-Door Beach Resort, in Teshie, and other locations in Accra, in furtherance of their objectives.
It said between June and August 2018, BB, acting for and on behalf of Dr Mac-Palm, contacted a number of serving military personnel, and talked them into hatching and executing a plot to obtain weapons, take over key installations, and secure funding for the purpose of taking over the reins of government.
In furtherance of this scheme, Dr Mac-Palm contracted one Mr Ezor from Alavanyo to produce locally made weapons and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) for the operation.
In July 2019, Mr Ezor set up a workshop in a container, originally used as an X-Ray laboratory, at the premises of Citadel Hospital, and started producing the weapons and IEDs in-house.
On 10th September 2019, Dr. Mac-Palm and Mr. Ezor procured from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, some essential chemicals to be mixed with gun powder, stone chippings, surgical nanalysts nd powdered pepper for their operations.
Dr Mac-Palm also contracted a worker at the Base Workshop in Burma Camp to supply 10 AK 47 riffles and made an advance payment of GH¢7,000.00.
On Thursday, 19th September 2019, at about 2300 hours, still under surveillance, Dr. Mac-Palm, Mr. Ezor, and one soldier went to an area close to the Laboma Beach to test some of the locally manufactured weapons.
On 20th September 2019, between 0915 and 1755 hours, a team of security personnel undertook the operation, which led to the arrest of Dr. Mac-Palm and his accomplices, and the subsequent retrieval of the items.
Meanwhile, the suspects were arraigned before a Kaneshie Magistrate Court on Tuesday, September 24, charged with five counts of illegally manufacturing weapons without authorisation and possession of fire arms.
The three accused persons were remanded into the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) custody and will make their next court appearance on October 9, 2019.
By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
