The leader of the #FixThe Country Movement, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor desire of gaining his freedom at the High Court Thursday March 10, 2022 has hit a snag, following the court inability to hear the bail application pending trial he had filed at a Tema High Court.
This is as a result of a response filed by the state but had not been served on the applicant for the hearing to take place.
Legal team for Barker-Vormawor led by Anthony Akoto Ampaw who filed the application for bail which was scheduled to be moved Wednesday March 10, 2022, told the court they are unaware of the processes filed by the state because they were not served.
He has therefore requested for a short adjournment to enable them to get accopy of the affidavit to study, file processes and response to it since failure to do so will means they had accepted the response of the state.
Responding to the applicant, Senior state attorney, Hilda Quaye believes that a short date will not favour them since they might also respond again to applicant if they deem necessary.
But counsel for the applicant rejected a long date saying that applicant requires speedy process since his liberty is at stake after he has been in custody for about a month.
The Tema High Court, presided by Justice Daniel Mensah asked the applicant and respondent to file their processes by close of weekend for hearing on Monday and therefore adjourned the case to March 14, 2022.
Barker-Vormawor was arrested on February 11, 2022 at the Kotoka International Airport by the Ashaiman District Police.
He was subsequently charged with the offence of treason felony contrary section 182 (b) Criminal Offences Act 1960 (29).
According to affidavit filed by the state, the applicant has been inciting social media followers to the effect by unlawful means to overthrow a constitutionally established organ of the Government of Ghana.
The respondent said their investigations established that since 2021, through a number of posts on his Facebook and Twitter account on social media has been advocating for the overthrow of the constitution.
They were of the view that the conduct of the applicant revealed a systematic pattern on his part to incite his social media followers into accepting his endeavour to usurp the constitutional organ of Government.
It has also been established that Barker-Vormawor has not been cooperating with the police.
He was said to have blatantly refused to give the police access to his phone to conduct search on it by unlocking to assist with investigation defeating a District Court order.
Again, he was said to have on February 16, 2022 failed to comply with court order for a search to be conducted in his house by failing to show the police his fixed place of abode in Ghana, thereby rendering the search warrant impossible to be executed.
But investigation revealed that applicant has no fixed place of abode in Ghana thereby making him a flight risk.
That considering the nature of the offence and the punishment associated with, the applicant with no fixed place of abode will not appear to stand trial when granted bail.
Respondent averred that applicant during his arrest made police to speak to a lady in the United Kingdom that the applicant claimed to be his wife but eventually turned out to be false since another woman subsequently showed up at the Ashaiman Police Station claiming to be his wife.
The state mentioned that investigations into the case are yet to be concluded as a result of the conduct of the applicant which he has shown that he will interfere with investigations when granted bail.
According to the respondent, the bail application should not be granted because applicant has not demonstrated that he has people of good character and sufficient means willing to stand sureties.
By Vincent Kubi