POLITICS

BREAKING: Barker-Vormawor granted bail

The Tema High court has granted #Fixthecountry convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor a GHC2 million bail in the case of Treason Felony brought against him.

The bail term is also supposed to be accompanied with two sureties, one of whom must submit documents of landed property to the court.

This comes after his lawyers filed an application to the high court following his arrest on February 11, 2022.

The bail application was filed at the High Court following the refusal of the magistrate court to grant him bail on grounds of lack of jurisdiction relative to the charges he has been pressed with.

At its last sitting on the application, counsel for Barker-Vormawor led by lawyer Akoto-Ampaw argued that, the evidence of a statement shared by the activist in a Facebook post does not support the charges preferred against him by the state.

According to defense counsel, the post in which his client threatened to “do the coup” himself if governments proposed a 1.5% levy on electronic transactions is passed into law was only a conditional statement.

Lawyer Akoto Ampaw during the court sitting on March 16, 2022, reiterated his arguments whilst maintaining that his client in no way poses flight risk.

According to him, despite the offensive nature of his client’s actions, his lawyers believe his rights to liberty must not be unduly clogged with the demand for justice.

Delivering the judgment on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, presiding judge, Justice Daniel Mensah directed that the accused presents himself to the police once a week on a day scheduled by the police.

He also ruled that the passport of Barker-Vormawor must remain with the police.

This was after the prosecution, represented by Hilda Craig, requested that the bail conditions be set to ensure that the accused returns for trial.

State prosecutors also requested that the bail be set with justification owing to the severity of the case and the punishment.

Background:

One of the #FixTheCountry movement convenors, Barker-Vormawor, was remanded into police custody after being charged with Treason Felony on Monday, February 14, 2022.

Barker-Vormawor was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport on his arrival from London and was subsequently detained by the Tema Regional Police Command in connection with a post he allegedly made on Facebook.

Barker-Vormawor’s arrest is about a social media post he threatened to stage a coup if the E-levy currently under consideration in parliament is passed into law.

During his court appearance on February 14, 2022, the presiding judge, Her Honour Eleanor Barnes, said she does not have the jurisdiction to grant bail to the accused due to the nature of the offense.

She, however, urged the defense team to repeat their bail application at the High Court or challenge her ruling.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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