Six individuals, including three soldiers, have been handed the death penalty by hanging for their involvement in a coup plot in Ghana three years ago.
This marks the first treason trial in the country since the overthrow of post-independence leader Kwame Nkrumah in 1966. The accused were apprehended in 2021 while allegedly testing weapons in the capital city of Accra with intentions to overthrow the government.
The trial, which garnered national attention, saw the group, which included a gunsmith, pleading not guilty. Defense lawyers have announced their intention to appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.
Three other individuals, including a senior police officer and two military officers, were acquitted.
The sentencing, which took place outside the High Court in Accra, was accompanied by a heightened security presence. The court convicted the six individuals of high treason and conspiracy to commit high treason based on evidence that included intercepted communications and testimonies.
According to court documents, the arrested men were found in possession of locally manufactured guns, improvised explosive devices, and AK-47 rifles.
State prosecutors argued that the group had planned to organize protests, ostensibly aiming to topple President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government ahead of the 2020 general elections.
Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, leading the prosecution, commended the court verdict as “significant,” emphasizing that the constitution of Ghana sternly opposes any attempt to overthrow a government, making the offense of treason punishable by death.
Ghana’s last execution occurred in 1992 when the country transitioned back to democratic rule. In the previous year, lawmakers voted to abolish the death penalty for ordinary crimes, replacing it with a life sentence.
