EVIDENCE SHOWS THE INTENT WAS TO BUILD A SUPPORT BASE OF YOUTH AND RADICALISE THEM AGAINST THE POLITICAL AUTHORITY IN GHANA.
A joint security operation of personnel drawn from the Defence Intelligence, Criminal Investigations Department and Bureau of National Investigations on Friday, September 20, neutralised a plot to destabilise the government.
The operation successfully led to the arrest of three persons and retrieval of several arms, explosive devices and ammunition from locations in Accra and Bawaleshie.
A statement issued and signed by Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Information Minister, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, on Monday, said the joint operations neutralised an elaborate plot targeted at the Presidency, and with the ultimate aim of destabilising the country.
"THE ARREST AND SEIZURE COME AFTER FIFTEEN (15) MONTHS OF SURVEILLANCE AND GATHERING OF EVIDENCE ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PRIME SUSPECTS AND OTHERS," THE STATEMENT REVEALED.
The persons arrested in the operation are; Dr. Frederick Yao Mac-Palm and his two accomplices – Mr. Ezor Kafui, (a local weapon manufacturer) and Mr Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu (aka BB or ADC).
Some of the items retrieved from the operation included; 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.
Others are; 22 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 9 x 7.62mm NATO AK47 rounds, two AK47 magazines and a long Knife at Citadel Hospital, Alajo, a suburb of Accra.
The joint security personnel also uncovered the outlined plan for the intended operation as presented by some soldiers at one of their meetings at Next-Door Resort.
They also retrieved seven mobile phones, five tablets, two decoders, a modem, a Ghanaian passport, two pen-drives, a voice recorder, a USB connector, machines and materials for manufacturing weapons.
At Bawaleshie near Dodowa, the joint security personnel also retrieved 63 x 9mm NATO rounds.
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 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 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.
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.
It said available evidence showed the intent was to build a support base of youth and radicalise them against the political authority in Ghana.
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 needles and 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 closed 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.
It said the IEDs and all the exhibits are currently in the custody of the BNI, while investigations are being carried out for further action.
Meanwhile, the suspects are undergoing interrogation.
State security agencies assured the public that, they would continue to be vigilant, to safeguard national security and public safety.
The public is encouraged to remain calm and advised to provide information on any suspicious persons or activities to the police for necessary action.
The Government of Ghana will also continue with efforts to provide the necessary logistics and motivation to the security agencies for intelligence gathering, capacity building and other operations, to protect the country from terrorism, subversive activities, and other violent crimes.
Source: GNA
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