The legal counsel for the acquitted retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (Rtd), Benjamin Agordzo in the treason case, Martin Kpebu, has said that his client has been destroyed by the state, thus must be compensated.
He said ACP Agordzo does not deserve to be treated in the manner he was.
“The state has destroyed him, that’s the downside. He has been destroyed. The state shouldn’t use its prosecutorial powers like this. This is a case that was frivolous from day one, a complete abuse of process. Just to give the alleged coup some coloration that big police men and big military men are behind it. Thank God the big police man, Dr Benjamen Agordzo has been acquitted and discharged and the same thing for Colonel Gameli.
“There is something called malicious prosecution. That’s if somebody causes your trial wrongfully, when they know you shouldn’t be added, its something that the state can be held liable for. You pay compensation. So, we are looking at it. We will see how to put together such a case because Agordzo doesn’t deserve such a treatment at all,” he said on the January 24 edition of Ghana Tonight on TV3.
Mr. Kpebu explained that, “we will show how this was an abuse of the process from day one. That is to say, use the criminal justice system for your own political ends. To gag public officers. Gag them. Make sure that public officers will be so scared, they will not talk about Akufo-Addo’s misgovernance. We will look at it and build a case of malicious prosecution, so we will drag the government to court. They should come and answer,” he announced.
Earlier on January 24, the High Court acquitted ACP Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and one other junior military officer, Corporal Seidu Abubakar of the treason charges.
According to Mr Kpebu, the state prosecuted his client for political gains.
“…I am saying that Akufo-Addo said Arab spring in opposition. We didn’t hear any NDC people report him to police for him to be prosecuted for saying Arab spring. So, it was clear that for such a man, he couldn’t have a public officer prosecuted for saying conditions in Ghana are ripe for an Arab spring and showing people how to organise a demonstration.
So, you’ve always known, because Akufo-Addo knew that saying Arap spring is not a crime. That’s how come nobody did anything to him when he was in opposition. So, why does he come into office and somebody is talking about Arab spring and showing people how to demonstrate and he gets prosecuted,” Mr Kpebu quizzed.
Meanwhile, six of the accused, including three soldiers were however sentenced to death by hanging. They are; Donya Kafui, aka Ezor (a blacksmith) and Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu (a fleet manager), were found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and treason, while Johannes Zikpi (a civilian employee of the Ghana Armed Forces) was found guilty of conspiracy to commit high treason.