Bail application for 7 'coup plotters' dismissed

An Accra High Court has dismissed a bail application by lawyers for seven persons standing trial for allegedly plotting a coup. The court was of the view that with the calibre of persons involved which include military officers, releasing them on bail could jeopardize ongoing investigations. Counsel for the accused persons moving the bail application told the court his clients were only procuring the guns to protect themselves and as such prosecution has not provided evidence to show they were planning to overthrow the government praying the court to grant them bail so they appear before the court as and when they are needed. However senior state attorney Hilda Crentsil told the court that prosecution has overwhelming evidence that these individuals did intend to overthrow government and will lead evidence to show that at the appropriate time. She also made the point that some of them are senior military officers, others are serving soldiers and the state intends to call witnesses who are also soldiers and this could interfere in investigations. The court presided by Justice George Boadi in its ruling refused to grant the application for bail to all seven individuals noting that the senior officer who is the director of maintenance of the Ghana Armed Forces could interfere in investigations. Justice Boadi also noted that in terms of the others who are lower rank military soldiers the history of Ghana junior officers have at various points overthrown government so their role cannot be under estimated, adding that they have not been unlawfully detained but remanded by a court hence dismissing the application. By Selorm Amenyah | editors.3news.com