The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday advised lawyers for Mr Oliver Barker-Vormawor, charged with treason felony, to apply for bail for their client at the High Court, before seeking interpretation of the law at the apex court.
Dr Srem Sai, counsel for the accused, filed a motion before the SC, and urged it to quash the decision of the Tema High Court of February 19, which dismissed Harbeas Corpus application brought against the Attorney-General and the Inspector General of Police.
Justice Gertrude Torkonoo told Dr Sai that he should do the right thing by applying for a bail for his client at the High Court.
Dr Sai had told the court that he was working under the instructions of his client, but the court said that as counsel, Dr Srem should be the one to advise his client.
After the back and forth with the five member panel of judges presided over by Justice Jones Dotse, Dr Sai took judicial notice and withdrew the motion.
The court, subsequently struck out the application as withdrawn.
Meanwhile, a Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice Diana Asonaba Dapaah, has told the court that prosecution was not opposed to bail for the accused.
She said going by Martin Kpebu vs Republic, every offence, including treason felony, were bailable subject to the discretion of the court.
On February 28, Barker-Vormawor was driven out of the Ashaiman District Court after exchanges with presiding magistrate, Eleanor Barnes Botwe
Mr Barker-Vormawor, who was arrested on February 11th, 2022, for a post he allegedly posted on social media platform on February 9, that he would stage a coup should the E-Levy Bill be passed by Parliament, would appear again on March 15.
The police said Mr Barker-Vormawor’s “post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.”
He first appeared at the court on February 14, but his plea was not been taken.
Some supporters of the movement carrying placards waited in the court premises in solidarity with their leader, while police in riot gear watched with eagle eyes to maintain law and order.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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