A three-member panel of the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, has subpoenaed a doctor of the Ogbojo Polyclinic to appear in court on Wednesday over an excused duty issued to an accused person.
Continuation of further cross-examination of the third prosecution witness Staff Sergeant Awarf Sule was forced into an adjournment after Bright Allan Debrah Ofosu, the third of the 10 accused persons standing trial for high treason was said to be unwell.
When the case was called, his counsel lawyer Victor Kodjogah Adawudu furnished the court with an excused duty from one Joel Pabi, of the Ogbojo Polyclinic, who excused the accused and issued him with a two-day excused duty.
The panel, which also includes Justice Stephen Oppong and Justice Hafisata Amaleboba said, the doctor is subpoenaed to confirm if he indeed saw and treated the accused person in question.
“We all know that in a criminal matter the absence of one accused person makes it impossible for the trial to continue,” Justice Asare-Botwe said.
“But we want to ensure that the excused duty is coming from proper custody so we will be making an order for the doctor to appear before us tomorrow,” she added.
To this end, the court said, “Joel Pabi from Ogbojo Polyclinic saying the accused is unwell and needs to rest for two days, the said doctor is subpoenaed to confirm whether he indeed saw and treated the accused.”
Defence lawyers are expected to subject Staff Sergeant Awarf Kojo Sule, of the Defence Intelligence Department of the Ghana Armed Forces to further cross-examination.
Staff Sergeant Sule, the third prosecution witness in the case in which ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo, Dr Frederick Yao Mac-Palm, and eight others are standing trial, had earlier told the court how he attended meetings and recorded the audio and video recordings after feigning interest in the alleged coup.
His recordings have become the basis for which the 10 accused persons are facing charges ranging from conspiracy, high treason and abetment and have all pleaded not guilty.
Under cross-examination from defence lawyers especially Lawyer EA Vordoagbor, counsel for Dr Mac-Palm, accused the witness of mooting the idea of the said coup d’etat.
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But, the witness parried allegations of being the brain behind the said coup.
The 10 accused persons are ACP Dr Benjamin Agordzo, Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli, Dr Frederick Mac-Palm, Donya Kafui, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, Johannes Zikpi, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, Corporal Sylvester Akanpewon and Warrant Officer (II) Esther Saan Dekuwine
They have all pleaded not guilty to respective charges ranging from conspiracy to commit crime to wit; high treason, treason, and Abetment.