Alleged coup plot: Client not engaged to jam radio transmission – Counsel
Counsel for Johannes Zipki, one of the accused, told the Accra High Court that his client was never engaged by anybody to jam radio transmission, had alleged coup plot succeeded.
Anthony Lartey, defence counsel, said that,“Zikpi never told you that he had been engaged by someone to provide technical advice on how to stop transmission to radio stations.”
But, Mr Francis Aboagye, tenth prosecution’s witness, who was part of the investigative team, said “that is false, these are communicated in WhatsApp chat with Dr Mac Palm and can be found on the phone of Dr Mac Palm”.
When Mr Lartey put it to the prosecution witness that, “the WhatsApp communications you attributed to Zipki during your evidence-in-Chief were not found on the phone of Zikpi”, the witness said it was true, and that they were found on Dr Mac Palm’s phone.
Defense Counsel also said his client did not say any of the things he attributed to him (client) from the alleged WhatsApp conversation.
But witness said it was false as Zikpi had admitted, saying all these during interrogation and admitted in both his caution and charge statements.
Mr Lartey said Zipki did not voluntarily admit all the things Mr Aboagye attributed to him during interrogation.
However, Mr Aboagye said that was false, adding that most of the things Zikpi said were corroborated by the account of Colonel Samuel Kojo Gameli, another accused.
Mr Eric Pongo, Defense Counsel for Colonel Gameli, asked whether the witness knew when Gameli contacted Dr Mac Palm and the witness said he did not remember.
Defence Counsel said, Colonel Gameli was a patient to Dr Mac Palm and witness said, the investigative team found out.
He said, Colonel Gameli was interviewed in the office of Major General Andoh, the third prosecution witness, and the Colonel Gameli denied knowledge of the alleged coup plot and witness said yes.
The witness stated that initially Colonel Gameli denied, but later he admitted when he was confronted with evidence.
Defense Counsel insisted that his client did not know anything about the alleged coup plot, adding that what he told the investigative team was that he knew Dr Mac Palm was peeved with the way the country was being run.
Dr Mac Palm, Kafui, Debrah, Zikpi, Colonel Gameli, WOII Esther, Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Benjamin Agordzo and three soldiers are standing trial for treason. They have all denied the charge. -GNA