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In its ruling, the court instructed the Circuit Court to begin prosecution within 72 hours, cautioning that failure to do so could lead to a reconsideration of Vormawor’s bail. The court’s refusal to grant him bail was influenced by his previous release on bail for treason felony charges, under which the current protest-related offences allegedly occurred.
The presiding judge expressed concerns that releasing Barker Vormawor could result in further offences. This decision was made in line with section 96(5c) of the Criminal Procedure Act, which allows courts to deny bail if there is a reasonable fear the accused may commit another crime.
Barker Vormawor’s lawyer, Justice Srem Sai, countered by emphasizing that the court should focus on whether the accused would attend trial if granted bail. He pointed to Vormawor’s track record of appearing in court consistently over the past three years in connection with his treason case. Srem Sai also argued that Vormawor would not abscond, especially given that the current charges are of lesser severity compared to the treason charges.
Despite these arguments, the court upheld its decision, citing the risk of further offences as a key factor in denying Vormawor’s bail.
In contrast, Felicity Nelson and four others involved in the same case were granted bail under less restrictive conditions. This ruling followed an earlier decision where Ama Governor and eight other protesters were each granted bail set at GH₵70,000.
Source:Omanghana.com
