Abdul Malik Kweku Baako
Veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has claimed that the alleged foiled coup plotters had planned to kidnap or kill President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
He made the revelation on Saturday, September 28, 2019, on News File, a radio talkshow produced by Joy FM.
He stated that he had the opportunity of watching and listening to video and audio recordings of the ‘coup plot.’
According to him, the plotters who have since been arrested and are facing trial, intended to carry out their attack at an event that would have had very senior leaders of the country congregated at one place.
“There were scenarios where they even contemplate the kidnapping of the President, and this is video, it will come out in court,” he claimed.
He noted that “they contemplate a situation where the President, the Vice President, Chief of Defence Staff and some other top shots have congregated at a place to explode that thing they were doing [you see the guy manufacturing] with the doctor present, this is video.”
“And they talk of exploding this thing with needles coming out and then also some chemicals that will make you go off,” he added.
“They contemplate that, these are things that they were discussing and you see the manufacturing in action.”
“You see they had been infiltrated, it was the infiltrators who were videoing and recording for 15 months and I give credit to the security establishment the Defence Intelligence in particular.”
The veteran journalist observed that “the meetings were they met and decided to recruit is all recorded. So in my view, this is not one of the fakes.”
It would be recalled that Government on Monday, September 23, 2019 announced that security agencies have foiled a plan aimed at creating instability in the country and a takeover of political power through radicalization of the youth and the use of locally manufactured guns has been foiled by the security agencies in the country.
According to a statement signed by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for information, the intended coup was prevented when a joint security personnel conducted a successful dawn operation which led to the arrest of three persons and the retrieval of several arms, explosive devices and ammunition from locations in Accra and Bawaleshie near Dodowa.
The suspects are Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm and Ezor Kafui, a local weapon manufacturer and Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu.
The joint operation which took place on Friday, 20th September 2019, was to neutralize an elaborate plot targeted at the Presidency, and with the ultimate aim of destabilizing the country.
He said the arrest and seizure come after fifteen (15) months of surveillance and gathering of evidence on the activities of the prime suspects and others.
“Surveillance on the activities of the persons involved commenced in June 2018, when Dr. Mac-Palm and Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu (“BB” or “ADC”), started organizing a series of meetings at the Next-Door Beach Resort, in Teshie, and other locations in Accra, in furtherance of their objectives”, he said.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah further noted that
between June and August 2018, BB, acting for and on behalf of Dr. MacPalm, 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 August 2018, Dr. Mac-Palm and two others, Kennedy Amoah and Dr. Albert Sam (Based in the USA) formed a group called “Take Action Ghana” (TAG), under the guise of mobilising the youth for nationbuilding, education, health, and providing shelter to the needy. Evidence available shows the intent was to build a support base of youth, and radicalize them against the political authority in Ghana,” he stated.
The Information Minister said 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,” he added.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah indicated that 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 needles and powdered pepper for their operations.
He 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 fire some of the locally manufactured weapons.
On the following day, 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,” Mr. Nkrumah said.
BY Melvin Tarlue
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