Human Rights lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu has expressed disappointment over the decision by an Accra High Court to quash the bail granted Gregory Afoko by another High Court.
Afoko and one other suspect, are being prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the murder of former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Adams Mahama.
Lawyer Sosu in an interview on Eyewitness News said the ruling smacks of abuse of power by the court and further described it as “an injury to the rule of law.”
The court had earlier in March 2019 granted the suspect bail to the tune of GHc500,000 but the state ignored the court’s ruling and continued to hold the suspect in custody for about three months.
The decision by the court to rescind the bail granted Afoko follows an application made by the Attorney General represented in court by Chief State Attorney, Marina Appiah Opare on Monday.
According to madam Appiah Opare, Mr. Afoko will not show up for trial if the court does not rescind the bail granted him by a different High Court judge.
The application was opposed by lawyers for Mr. Afoko who reminded the court that another High Court judge had assessed the facts of the matter and ruled that Mr. Afoko should be granted bail.
“I am completely disappointed and I feel very sad for Ghana and every citizen of Ghana. This is not just about Gregory, it is an injury to the rule of law. It is subverting justice with respect to the ordinary Ghanaian…. I don’t know what it is about Gregory Afoko that the orders of the court have been disrespected with impunity by the police. Police chiefs have been cited for contempt and while that is ongoing, another high court, differently constituted goes to rescind the decision granted by the earlier court,” Xavier Sosu said.
One of the lawyers of Mr. Afoko, Steven Sowah Charway, is also unhappy with the new ruling.
He said the State should have taken the case to the same judge who granted the bail earlier and not a new court.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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