The Greater Accra Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Jefferson Asare Danquah, says the fraternity is devastated after the High Court denied bail to a 40-year-old nurse arrested in connection with the TikToker Ghana Jollof.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling on September 24, Mr. Danquah said the Association stands in solidarity with the accused.
“We’re very disappointed. We’re so disappointed about the turn of events. But for now, we will stay quiet and have discussions among ourselves,” he said.
“We are devastated. You can see the nurses I came with. Very, very devastated. But this is the law. There’s little we can say.”
“We are showing solidarity and we are with her. And we know that at the end of the day, she’s going to come out free. And for the trial, she will continue. Just that we are very disappointed. And we think that she still could be granted bail,” he added.
Background
The nurse, Salomey Awiti Baffoe, a Senior Nursing Officer based in Techiman, has been charged with abetting the publication of false news under Sections 20(1) and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). She has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors allege she acted as a liaison for UK-based TikTok personality Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, popularly known as “Ghana Jollof”, who is being investigated for allegedly publishing false news and incendiary comments against government.
Police say they have uncovered financial transactions between the two and that Kodua, who is currently outside Ghana and has been declared wanted, sent money to Baffoe to recruit persons to redistribute videos on social media.
At the hearing on September 24, the High Court in Accra refused her bail application after the prosecution argued she was still needed to assist with ongoing cyber investigations and could interfere with witnesses if released. The court cited the cyber-related nature of the probe as posing a real risk of interference.
The court, however, directed the Republic to expedite its investigations.
Baffoe was first arraigned before the Adentan Circuit Court, which remanded her into police custody for two weeks. She is expected to reappear on September 30.
Her lawyer, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, who is also MP for Manhyia South, says he will appeal the High Court’s decision and petition the Chief Justice to allow the Court of Appeal to sit during the legal vacation to hear the bail matter.
He argued that investigations concerning Baffoe herself were complete, that her phones had already been seized by police, and that there was no evidence she could interfere with the investigation.
