Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gamali, one of the accused persons standing trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Akufo-Addo government has denied any knowledge about the alleged plot.
According to him, as a senior military officer, he needed sufficient or concrete evidence about the alleged plot before he can report anything to the Military High Command.
But in this instance, he did not have any knowledge of the personnel involved, equipment to be deployed, plan and staging areas of the said coup. He said this while being cross-examined by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Being tried as the fifth accused (A5) in the case of high treason and abetment by an Accra High Court, Col Gamali said he was taken out of contest during interrogation for the use of ‘H hour.’
Meanwhile, the prosecution claimed that ‘H hour’ means when the people are in the process of carrying out a coup before he will inform his supervisors and that whatever A5 was telling the court is an afterthought.
In response, A5 said ‘My lord, I was taken out of contest. I should know the planning, I should know the equipment involved and the personnel involved. I don’t know anything and that was why I said I was waiting for the H hour.”
The Prosecution insisted that from two exhibits before the court, which are statements of A4, Johannes Zikpi, alleged that Dr MacPalm on three occasions held meetings with him and A5 at the Citadel Hospital where the overthrown of the government was discussed.
Mrs. Obuobisa added that from these meetings, A5 had a sufficient knowledge which should compel him to report the plot to his superior officers and not wait for the ‘H hour.’
She contended that Col Gamali has more information than his junior officers, such as Sulley Awarf and another who reported the plot to their superiors.
Question: In fact, in the caution statement of A4 in the second page, he stated that when Dr MacPalm mentioned the overthrown of the government to you, your response was “fantastic”.
Answers: This is not true.
A5 said the Prosecution’s claim was false “because I didn’t discuss any coup issue neither did I know the personnel involved, equipment involved, staging areas and what his mission was.”
He said among the nine other people standing trial with him, he only know A4 and deceased Dr MacPalm, therefore, he is innocent.
The accused also stated that deceased Dr MacPalm never discussed with him (A5) about the invitation and arrival of the blacksmith, Donya Kafui (A2) to Accra, and alleged manufacturing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and pistols.
The DPP, however, indicated that A5 and Dr MacPalm had a very good relationship and that was why he decided to shield him.
In response, A5 said though he knew Dr MacPalm as a friend, person and family doctor, he did not know anything about him masterminding a coup plot.
Col Gamali added that it was the reason why a worker from Citadel Hospital messaged him about the arrest of Dr MacPalm and he urged her to remain calm and that the deceased has done nothing wrong.
He asserted that before the said worker sent him the message, the news about the arrest was already in the media.
DPP then put a question to him: What do you mean by Dr MacPalm did nothing?
Answer: Because I would have known as a good friend.
But when pushed further, A5 acknowledged that even though he actually knew Dr MacPalm, he didn’t think he really know him more than his family members.
The prosecution then added that A5’s assertion that A1 did not do anything wrong was a wrong assertion.
Gamali also said neither did he know where gota sets are sold nor did he know why Dr MacPalm was requesting for communication equipment.
Evidence-in-Chief
A5, being led to give his evidence-in-chief, told the court that he was enlisted in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in 1989.
He was introduced to Dr MacPalm in 2015 by a friend, Brigadier General Ntem, to treat him of his severe waist pain. It was through this introduction that A5 got to know that deceased Dr MacPalm was one of his classmates.
Although A5 said he introduced A4 to deceased Dr MacPalm in early 2017, Zikpi earlier told the court that the introduction was made rather in 2018.
However, Col Gamali said Zikpi was introduced to Dr MacPalm when the latter wanted someone to install CCTV cameras at his home at Dodowa. After this engagement, the three became friends and met on some occasions to eat and drink.
A5 said he once chanced on the deceased and A4 talking about communication equipment and decided to find out later.
The court is presided over by three justices – Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, Hafisata Amaleboba and Stephen Oppong.
The accused persons are; Dr Frederick MacPalm (deceased), Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, alias Bright, Alan Yeboah, aka BB, Johannes Zikpi, Col Samuel Kodzo Gamali, and W.O II Esther Saan Dekuwine.
The others are; Corporal Seidu Abubaka, LAC Ali Solomon, CPL Sylvester Akanpewon and ACP Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo.
