President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has come under fierce criticism for the continuous detention of murder suspect Gregory Afoko in the custody of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) despite an Accra High Court ordering on March 14 that he be granted bail.
The latest to add his voice to the litany of criticisms heaped on the president, who has been touted as a respecter of the rule of law and a human rights advocate, is private legal practitioner Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe.
Speaking on TV3’s New Day Monday, July 15, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communicator made a passionate appeal to the president to allow the laws of the country work as regards the case of Gregory Afoko. The case has already traveled four years.
Lawyer Tamakloe maintains that holding Mr. Afoko in custody in the face of a bail order by a court smacks of lawlessness.
“I’m begging Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the name of Almighty God, the decision by his administration not to respect the orders of the high court relative to the continuous detention of Mr. Gregory Afoko is a vandalization of the rule of law,” he said.
“[This] must not happen under a president we’re told is a fighter for human rights,” Mr. Tamakloe added.
The story so far
Mr. Afoko is being tried for the 2015 murder of the former Upper East Region Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Adams Mahama.
He was granted bail four months ago by the High Court presided over by Justice Jennifer Dodoo and has since fulfilled the necessary bail conditions but was not released.
An appeal by the Attorney General to stay execution of the bail was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on April 15.
It was the second time the Attorney General made an attempt to stop the bail granted the suspect but lost after the first one on Friday, March 22 was thrown out by the High Court presided over by Mr. Justice George Buadi.
IGP, CID boss, other cited for contempt
Despite losing the appeals, the respondents continued to hold the suspect in custody, prompting the lawyers for the suspect to initiate contempt proceedings against the three, including the IGP and his senior-most officer in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The case was heard without the respondents personally showing up in court, something the judge had cause to complain, and on June 19 issued a final warning to them to personally appear before the court for the ruling.
The judge warned that the court will be forced to order the Interior Minister to produce them.
Source:P.D Wedam|3news.com|Ghana