Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a key figure in the Democracy Hub protest, has sparked concerns over detainee rights and custody conditions after his lawyers alleged that police denied him urgent medical care while in custody.
However, the Ghana Police Service has firmly denied these claims, stating that Barker-Vormawor and fellow suspect Fanny Otoo received immediate medical attention at the Police Hospital in Accra.
The controversy surrounds the recent StopGalamsey protest, where 39 people, including Barker-Vormawor, were remanded into police and prison custody.
The protest aimed to pressure the government to end illegal mining activities in Ghana, which demonstrators claim rob the country of its natural resources and endanger future generations.
Background
Barker-Vormawor’s arrest on September 24, 2024, was part of the police crackdown on the Democracy Hub protest after hitherto a peaceful demonstration turned violent with police personnel sustaining injuries.
His lawyers claim that he fell seriously ill while in custody, only hours before his scheduled court appearance, but was denied medical care.
The Police, however, maintain that they provided prompt medical attention to both Barker-Vormawor and Otoo.
-BY Daniel Bampoe