Pressure group, OccupyGhana is demanding a full and impartial investigation into the apparent refusal of the State to comply with a bail order granted Gregory Afoko, the alleged murderer of former Upper East NPP regional chairman Adams Mahama in 2015.
On March 14, 2019, an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice George Buadi, admitted Afoko to bail in the sum of GhȻ500,000 with two sureties, one of whom must to be justified but the accused person was still being held in police custody until yesterday a newly constituted High court rescinded the bail granted Gregory Afoko.
Reacting to the new ruling in a press statement, OccupyGhana wants agents of the State who violated the court’s orders to be punished to the fullest extent permissible under the law.
“OccupyGhana® is demanding a full and impartial investigation into the apparent refusal of the State to comply with a bail order given by the High Court in favour of an accused person, Mr Gregory Afoko. We also demand that agents of the State who violated the court’s orders should be punished to the fullest extent permissible under the law. “
OccupyGhana explained that the actions of the State violate the fundamental human right of the accused person, Gregory Afoko.
“Definitely, the actions of agents of the state in refusing to allow an accused person to take full advantage of a court order of bail, thereby holding him in illegal custody until a trial court makes a different bail order, should be repugnant to all.”
“It is a fundamental right for every person to be considered and treated as innocent until proven guilty. The criminal justice system must therefore not be deployed or manipulated to punish any person who has not been found guilty of any offence,” the statement added.
16th JULY, 2019
OCCUPYGHANA® PRESS STATEMENT
OCCUPYGHANA® DEMANDS PUNISHMENT OF OFFICERS WHO FLOUTED AFOKO’S BAIL ORDER
OccupyGhana® is demanding a full and impartial investigation into the apparent refusal of the State to comply with a bail order given by the High Court in favour of an accused person, Mr Gregory Afoko. We also demand that agents of the State who violated the court’s orders should be punished to the fullest extent permissible under the law.
Ordinarily, we would hesitate to comment on a matter that is pending in court. But we must be concerned when there is any appearance of gross and blatant violations of the constitutional rights of any citizen. Definitely, the actions of agents of the state in refusing to allow an accused person to take full advantage of a court order of bail, thereby holding him in illegal custody until a trial court makes a different bail order, should be repugnant to all.
It is a fundamental right for every person to be considered and treated as innocent until proven guilty. The criminal justice system must therefore not be deployed or manipulated to punish any person who has not been found guilty of any offence.
The facts as we know them to show that at some point, a court of competent jurisdiction granted Mr Afoko bail. The State appealed and applied to stay execution of the bail order. The State lost.
Thereafter, and once Mr Afoko met the bail conditions, his continued detention for even one second was grossly wrong, blatantly unconstitutional and an egregious slap in the face of basic human rights, constitutionalism and the rule of law.
It is for these reasons that we call for an immediate, impartial investigation into this matter. Every officer of the state who was involved in this must be disciplined. If Mr Afoko sues and wins, the damages must be borne personally by the public officers who did this. If our taxes are used to pay such damages, it would add insult to the injury caused to Ghana and our reputation by these repugnant acts.
The people of Ghana enacted this Constitution and stated in its Preamble that we believe in “the blessings of liberty,” “Freedom, Justice, Probity and Accountability,” “The Rule of Law,” and “The protection and preservation of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.” If we lose or compromise these core principles, we would be lost as a people. We must all strive and fight to protect these.
No one is above the law.
OccupyGhana®
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