The Criminal High Court presided over by Justice Charles Ekow Baiden has granted Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Dr Benjamin Agordzo self-recognisance bail of GHS500,000.

Apart from the bail, ACP Agordzo is to submit his passport to the Registrar of the High Court.

He is also required to present himself to the Inspector-General of Police and the Director of BNI at certain times.  

ACP Agordzo, who has been charged with abetment to commit treason, is alleged to have offered assistance to Dr Mac Palm, the Managing Director of Citadel Hospital at Alajo, to destabilise the government.

Apart from the two, eight other accomplices, six of whom are serving military personnel, are in the custody of the security services over the same matter.

They allegedly illegally possessed ammunition and explosives.  

In court on Monday, 18 November 2019, ACP Dr Agordzo’s lawyer, Mr Martin Kpebu, argued that as a senior police officer who is two ranks away from the IGP position, his client is harmless and cannot plot a coup. 

Mr Kpebu told the court, presided over by Justice George Buadi, that his client deserves bail since he has not been officially charged for the offence apart from the Kaneshie district court’s charges against him.

Mr Kpebu also argued that the investigative bodies have only interrogated his client once since 4 November 2019, an indication, he noted, that the Bureau of National Investigations does not need him for further questioning. 

However, State Attorney Hilda Craig counter-argued that ACP Dr Agordzo could use his international and local influence and his security clout to interfere with the investigations.

The court agreed with the prosecution’s arguments.

But in court on Tuesday, 21 January 2020, the court held that the lawyers for the accused person have advanced strong reasons why his liberty should not have been curtailed.

The court said the state did not give enough reason to show that ACP Agordzo would interfere and not avail himself of the trial and, thus, granted him bail.