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Private legal practitioner, Samson Lardy Anyenini has charged the State to institute criminal prosecution against Captain Edmund Koda, head of security for the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo.
He asserts allegations including breaking jail, and act of corruption charges leveled against Captain Koda are serious crimes which must be settled in court if the Interior Ministry and BNI are genuinely pursuing the national interest.
Background
Captain Koda was held in the custody of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) for inviting one of the three South African ex-cops who were contracted by the NPP to train bodyguards of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
The security apparatus suspects that the foreign nationals – Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (Rtd.), WO/Denver Dwayhe Naidu (Rtd.) and Captain Mlungiseleli Jokani (Rtd.) – were engaged in acts that could destablise the country. In a dramatic move, they were hurriedly deported Tuesday, March 29.
On March 28 the Interior Ministry released a 14 point statement on the operations of the three men, Captain Koda and Captain Acquah.
According to the statement, Captain Koda played a role in the Armed Forces Revolution Council’s (AFRC) regime and later accused of corruption resulting in his conviction and incarceration in the Ussher Fort Prison.
It further stated that Captain Koda and his other colleagues escaped during a jail break and traveled out of the country on an exile.
It was also revealed that Captain Koda had a hand in the activities of some Serbian nationals who “were brought into the country to train selected people drawn from across the country in the art of civil insurrection” in 2014.
Counter claims:
Meanwhile, in a direct rebuttal, lawyer for Captain Koda, Nana Asante Bediatuo rejects the allegations against his client.
Although he admitted the Captain was involved in the AFRC regime, the lawyer explained he “has never been convicted of corruption as is being claimed by the Minister of Interior”.
He said though the Captain and some of his colleagues “were accused of having embezzled funds and were tried twice on the same charges by the ‘People’s Court’, they were acquitted and discharged on both occasions.
On the issue of the Serbian case in 2014, the statement said Captain Koda did not engage any Serbian in the year under discussion arguing: “The only Serbian Captain Koda knows is the former coach of the Black Stars.”
Samson challenges gov’t:
Speaking on the Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Wednesday, Mr Anyenini said the charges against Captain Koda should not be left hanging in the public.
According to him, the allegation that Captain Koda rebelled against the State while in the army has to be handled in court to secure the safety of the country.
Mr Anyenini said the “curious” deportation of the three South African ex-cops by the State on March 29, cannot affect the prosecution of Captain Koda, arguing it is a separate issue which has to be separately dealt with.
“Those who have been deported have been deported because they are ‘deportable’ so to speak. They are not Ghanaians”, he said.
He dared government officials to prosecute Captain Koda in the coming days if they are convinced he committed those acts leveled against him.
He was surprised the State seemed to have put out a stronger case in the public alleging acts that threatened national security.
He earlier posted on facebook thus: “Deported! So they miss a trial which might have resulted in them paying a max of ghc 6,000.00 (or much less as is often the case) for their liberty, or plus 3yrs (or 12 months as our courts often do for petty crimes), or even a mere caution and a bond to be of good behaviour, if the State was successful. I will be scandalised (plus not feel safe) if the allegations in the statement … are not pressed as charges against those not ‘deportable’…”
