THE authorities in Ghana on Monday announced foiling a planned coup attempt on the seat of government at Jubilee House allegedly spearheaded by three individuals who are in custody.
The Information Ministry said last Friday, a joint security operation of personnel drawn from Defence Intelligence, CID and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), conducted a successful operation which led to the arrest of three people and the recovery of several arms, explosive devices and ammunition from locations in Accra and Bawaleshie near Dodowa.
“The joint operation was to neutralize an elaborate plot targeted at the Presidency, and with the ultimate aim of destabilizing the country,” the statement said.
The arrest and seizure came after fifteen months of surveillance and gathering of evidence on the activities of the prime suspects before the security operatives finally pounced to nip in the bud what is described as a coup in the making.
Those in custody in connection with the ‘foiled coup’ have been identified as Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, Mr. Ezor Kafui (a local weapons manufacturer) and Mr. Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu (aka BB or ADC).
The items retrieved as part of the operation at Citadel Hospital in the Alajo district of Accra are locally manufactured pistols with magazines, a foreign pistol (Reg. No. PX154006) with 2 X magazines, three locally manufactured pistol barrels, three smoke grenades, 22 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), nine 7.62mm NATO AK47 rounds, two AK47 magazines and one long knife.
According to the Information ministry, surveillance on the activities of the suspects began 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.
“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. These meetings were closely monitored,” the ministry said.
It said 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 nation-building, 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,” it claimed.
“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,” the ministry’s statement claimed.
The ministry further said 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 is also believed to have contracted a worker at the Base Workshop in Burma Camp to supply 10 AK 47 riffles, for which he allegedly 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,” the ministry further said.
“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, and the subsequent retrieval of the arms and ammunition,” it said, adding that the suspects are undergoing interrogation.
