Treason felony charge against Oliver Barker-Vormawor ‘cynical’ – Akoto Ampaw

Counsel for Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor who has been charged with treason felony has described the charge by the police as “cynical”.

Mr Akoto Ampaw who is leading the team defending Barker-Vormawor told Graphic Online’s Della Russel Ocloo that the charge is “cynical” and amount to “bad faith” on the part of the prosecution.

Mr Akoto Ampaw wondered why the prosecution, which initially charged Barker-Vormawor for offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace, which is a misdemeanor and went ahead to take a statement from him would show up in court with the charge of treason felony.

“Until this morning [Monday], it was a misdemeanor, only to appear in court and be told he is being charged with treason felony which has no factual basis,” Mr Akoto Ampaw said.

He also questioned the basis for the adjournment of the case to February 28, 2022, when the court does not have jurisdiction over the charge for which the accused was brought before it.

Read also: Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor charged with treason felony; remanded in police custody for 2 weeks

An Ashaiman District Court on Monday morning [Feb 14, 2022] remanded into police custody, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, one of the convenors of the #FixTheCountry movement, for two weeks.

The police Monday charged Mr Barker-Vormawor with treason felony.

The court presided over by Mrs Eleanor Kakra Barnes-Botchway, denied a bail application saying the court did not have jurisdiction to grant the accused bail per the charge preferred against him.

He has been remanded into police custody for the next two weeks and is expected to reappear before the court on Monday, February 28, 2022.

Background

Mr Barker-Vormawor, a social media activist and one of the convenors of the #FixTheCountry movement was arrested by the police last Friday for “threatening a coup”.

A police statement said he was arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on social media to the effect that he would stage a coup himself if the E-Levy Bill is passed by Parliament.

Read also: Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor arrested for ‘threatening a coup’ – Police

Mr Barker-Vormawor in a series of Facebook posts this week described the Ghana Army as “useless”.

He is said to have incited the army to stage a coup over the proposed E-Levy Bill in Parliament.

According to the police, “the post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic of Ghana,” the police statement dated February 12, 2022, signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs, DCOP Kwesi Ofori said.

Read also: Barker-Vormawor in court, #FixTheCountry Movement demand his release

Source: graphic.com.gh