Court issues bench warrant for alleged coup plotter
The High Court in Accra has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Warrant Officer II (WOII) Esther Saan Dekuwine for failing to appear in court in the case of the alleged coup plotters.
This was after counsel for the accused person, Mr Lamtiig Apanga, failed to substantiate claims that his client had been admitted to a hospital.
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The three-member panel of the court, presided over by Justices Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, issued the warrant when the counsel was unable to provide an excuse duty to support his client’s absence.
The court, which had Justices Hafisata Amaleboba and Stephen Oppong as the other panel members, held that the absence of the accused person was without a justifiable excuse.
The court, however, asked the registrar to notify the court if the accused was arrested on a day the court was not sitting.
Subpoena
Meanwhile, the medical doctor of the Ogbojo Polyclinic, who issued an excused duty for Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, one of the 10 persons on trial for treason, also appeared in court following a subpoena issued by the court last Tuesday.
The medical doctor, Dr Joel Tetteh Padi, told the court that the accused person was, indeed, unwell and needed some time off to recuperate.
The proof included the patient’s medical folder, detailing the diagnosis and treatment.
According to Dr Tetteh Padi, the accused person reported sick to the clinic last Monday complaining of dizziness, nausea and imbalance.
He said the accused, who visited the hospital bearing the name Bright Allan Yeboah, was diagnosed with vertigo.
The doctor said he was attended to and given two days off to rest as a result.
The court subsequently directed the accused person to be available for hearing on the next adjourned date.
Hearing continues on November 15, 2021.
Background
The two accused persons and eight others are in court for allegedly taking part in the activities of Take Action Ghana (TAG), a non-governmental organisation, accused by the prosecution of planning to destabilise the country and take over the government.
