Agordzo on hunger strike, charged with abetment to commit treason

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Dr Benjamin Agordzo, who has been accused of offering assistance to alleged coup plotters has been charged with abetment to commit treason.

His counsel on Friday afternoon [November 8, 2019] told the Kaneshie District Court where he has formally been charged with abetment to commit treason that his client was currently on a hunger strike.

Graphic Online's court correspondent, Mabel Aku Baneseh reported that Dr Agordzo's application challenging the jurisdiction of the Kaneshie District Court was Friday afternoon dismissed.

Following that, he was formally charged with abetment to commit treason.

The court subsequently remanded him in custody and adjourned the case to November 20, 2019.

The Court also directed that the docket should be sent to the Attorney General for advice.

Mabel reported from the court that Dr Agordzo looked visibly upset and as of 1 pm, the court premises was heavily guarded whilst the case was still ongoing.

Last Tuesday

Before the hearing last Tuesday [November 5], the defence team, led by Mr Hamdiya Mohammed, raised a preliminary objection regarding the jurisdiction of the Kaneshie District Court and other matters.

Counsel said his team had not been served with the bill of indictment and that was particularly a key issue because the case involved a first degree felony under section 182 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

He also raised the issue about the court only having jurisdiction to hear committal proceedings in matters involving third degree felonies as stated in section 181 of Act 30 and Article 14 (3) of the 1992 Constitution.

“The court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain this matter. The court as stated in Article 14 (3) of the 1992 Constitution refers to the court which can entertain the matter and assess whether or not to grant bail or remand the suspect,” counsel argued.

Mr Mohammed emphasised that the court neither had jurisdiction to grant bail nor remand the suspect to the extent that it was not shrouded with jurisdiction to hear the matter.

But on Friday afternoon, the court dismissed the preliminary application.

Background

Dr Agordzo is a serving police officer and former Director of the Transformation Office of the Ghana Police Service.

He was invited by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) last Monday afternoon and had been detained since.

He is alleged to have connections with an alleged plot to destabilise the country and for which some people are currently in court with charges of treason.

Dr Agordzo is alleged to have offered some assistance to the leader of the alleged coup plotters, Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, and some eight other suspects, including a military officer and seven soldiers, who have also been charged with treason.

Graphic Online