Six Ghanaians, including three soldiers, have been sentenced to death by hanging on Wednesday for their participation in a coup conspiracy three years ago.
BBC reports that the recent convictions mark the first treason trial in Ghana since 1966, following the overthrow of post-independence leader Kwame Nkrumah.
The six were arrested in 2021, reportedly testing locally manufactured guns, improvised explosive devices and AK-47 rifles in the capital, Accra, with an alleged intent to overthrow the government.
The court verdict found all six guilty of high treason and conspiracy to commit high treason. The group, which included a gunsmith, pleaded not guilty during their trial.
Defence lawyers said they would appeal against the ruling in the Supreme Court.
The high court, however, acquitted police chief Benjamin Agordzo, army officer Colonel Samuel Gameli, and one other junior military officer, Corporal Seidu Abubakar.
"We give glory to God. He alone has made it happen. They knew it was falsehood. Our God doesn't fail. I have always been free within my heart and I knew how it was going to end," Agordzo told the media following his acquittal.
State prosecutors alleged that the group had planned to organize protests, ostensibly to topple President Nana Akufo-Addo's government ahead of the 2020 general elections.
Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, who led the prosecution, praised the court verdict as "significant".
"The constitution of Ghana as the fundamental law of the country, which has sustained the stability of the nation, frowns seriously upon any attempt to overthrow a government and that is why that offence [treason] is punishable by death," Mr Dame said.
Ghana had last carried out an execution in 1992 when it returned to democratic rule.
Last year lawmakers voted to abolish the death penalty for ordinary crimes, replacing it with a life sentence.
Last year, the events in Niger and Gabon showed that military coups are once again becoming a common trend in African politics. Since 2020, there have been at least seven coups mostly in West and Central Africa.
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