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The High Court has denied bail to Oliver Barker Vormawor, a key figure in the Democracy Hub protest, while granting GH₵20,000 bail to Felicity Nelson and four other co-defendants.
In its ruling, the court ordered the Circuit Court to commence prosecution within 72 hours, warning that failure to do so could lead to a reconsideration of Barker Vormawor’s bail status.
The decision to deny Barker Vormawor bail was influenced by the fact that he was previously released on bail for treason felony charges when the alleged Democracy Hub protest offences occurred.
The presiding judge expressed concerns that granting him bail could result in further offences, referencing Section 96(5c) of the Criminal Procedure Act, which permits courts to refuse bail if there is a reasonable belief the accused may commit another crime.
Barker Vormawor’s lawyer, Justice Srem Sai, contended that the primary issue should be whether his client would stand trial if released on bail, emphasizing that Barker Vormawor has consistently appeared in court over the past three years in relation to his treason case.
Srem Sai argued that his client was unlikely to evade trial, especially for the lesser misdemeanor charges in the current case.
Despite these arguments, the court upheld its decision, citing the risk of re-offending as sufficient grounds to deny bail.
Meanwhile, Felicity Nelson and four others involved in the case were granted bail under less stringent conditions. This follows an earlier decision to grant GH₵70,000 bail to Ama Governor and eight other protesters.
