*Ex-Commandos return from Guinea-Bissau to augment plot

Following our publication yesterday on the arrest of some persons in connection with a coup plot, details of the said plot have been coming in following the confirmation of the story by Government.

The latest information we obtained before we went to press had it that Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, the last Commanding Officer of the disbanded Forces Reserve Battalion (FRB) was scheduled to meet the National Security Council yesterday for further grilling.

The FRB was also known as 64 Infantry Battalion during the days of its existence. Col. Gbevlo-Lartey, as we reported yesterday, is the most conspicuous of the suspects who were arrested last Saturday.

Gbevlo-Lartey and four others were picked up last Saturday for interrogation and were subsequently asked to go home.

Gbevlo-Lartey is also said to have travelled outside Ghana recently without clearance from the military high command as is required of all personnel of the Armed Forces.

Snap checks we did following our publication confirmed that Gbevlo-Lartey and three other officers of the Armed Forces alongside a civilian who were invited for questioning are under close surveillance and will be assisting the state security in further investigations into the matter.

The Independent also found out that state security has for the last three months been monitoring the activities of the five persons who were picked up last Saturday and succeeded in infiltrating their ranks to obtain recordings, resulting in the arrest last Saturday.

It has also become evident, according to our investigations, that some members of the disbanded 64 Infantry Battalion who relocated to oil-rich Equatorial Guinea have returned to town as part of the build-up to the strike on the sovereignty of the state.

Some of the 64 boys are also said to be in some neighbouring countries as part of the strategy to strike. Our sources said in reaction to pronouncements of doubt yesterday from some quarters as to why the Gbevlo-Lartey group has been released if there was indeed a coup plot that “we do not want a May 15, 1979 situation on our hands. Sometimes treason trials go to the advantage of coupists,”

It will be recalled that following an abortive coup attempt on May 15, 1979, former President Rawlings who was the architect of the failed attempt was given a field day at a General Court Martial at Burma Hall during which he literally held the audience spell bound, resulting in ‘favourable’ headlines such as LEAVE MY MEN ALONE …I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING (emphasis ours), among many others. The result was a salvaging move by some elements within the Armed Forces on June 4 that toppled General F.W.K Akuffo’s Supreme Military Council II government.

Our sources said the emphasis now is on preventive methods such that any coup conspiracies will not be allowed to flourish.

Meanwhile, Government has assured the citizenry that even though the coup plot is under investigation, there is no cause for alarm. Information Minister, Nana Akomea and Defence Minister Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor were both quoted by sections of the media as saying so.

As we went to press further details on the plot had started coming in and are pointing in various directions. The Independent is studying the details and will be undertaking further checks on the latest developments for publication on Monday.