Thursday, December 17th 1968.

Footage of Mr. J.W.K. Harlley, the Vice-Chairman of Ghana's ruling junta, the National Liberation Council (NLC) alleging that Air Marshall Otu, the former Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Defence Staff, had conspired with members of the proscribed Convention People's Party (CPP) in London to overthrow the NLC in order to bring Dr. Kwame Nkrumah back to power by Christmas of 1968.

Harlley claimed that Marshal Otu had met with Kwesi Armah, the former Ghanaian High Commissioner to London, in September 1968 to formulate the detailed plans.

Source: Reuters News Archive.

Note:

1. The accusation of treason against Air Marshal Michael Otu pinpointed him as the chief suspect in the planning a Soviet and Guinean-sponsored coup which had the objective of restoring Kwame Nkrumah to power. After an investigation, he was exonerated and continued his military career until his retirement in 1971.

2. Otu had served as the president of the special military tribunal set up to try the instigators of "Operation Guitar Boy", the abortive coup of 1967 which was led by Lt. Samuel Arthur and Lt. Moses Yeboah in Accra on April 17, 1967. The coup resulted in the death of Lt. General Emmanuel Kotoka, a member of the ruling National Liberation Council. Otu read out the sentences which condemned both Arthur and Yeboah to death by firing squad.

See:

Court Martial Verdict: Ghanaian Army Officers Sentenced to Death for Abortive Coup | May 1967    • Court Martial Verdict: Ghanaian Army ...  

West African Military Rulers: 1960s-1990s:   / 329089214454696