The Criminal court 4 of the Accra High Court has granted bail to the tune of 70,000 Ghana cedis each to 9 Democracy Hub protesters including 26-year-old lawyer, Elorm Ababio, also known as Ama Governor.
The others are:
• Emmanuel Gyan
• Emmanuel Kwabena Addo
• Ziblim Yakubu
• Oheneba Prempeh
• Philip Owusu Kobina
• Akisibik Desmond
• Von Collie • Sadik Yakubu
The 9 are part of 54 protesters who were rounded up by the Police for participating in a demonstration against illegal mining, popularly referred to as Galamsey on Sunday, September 22.
When the case was called on Monday, October 7, lawyers of the protesters who have been in Police custody first filed a motion to withdraw an earlier application they had filled for an abridgement of time in order for the case to be expedited.
After the court granted the motion and struck it out, they then filed another bail application. Their previous application had been denied by an Accra Circuit Court leading to a 2-week remand in Police custody.
State Attorney leading the prosecution, Amanda Awadi opposed the bail application.
Their opposition came as a surprise since barely a week ago, Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame while addressing magistrates and judges at their annual conference directed prosecution handling the case to consider bail applications after directing for a swift investigation into the case.
“I urge the Police Service to swiftly conclude investigations by the next adjourned dates of the cases involving the prosecution of excesses from recent protests in Accra to exclude by that date, all those against whom sufficient evidence cannot be found to proceed further.”
“I will also advise the prosecution to consider relevant bail applications made at the next adjourned dates of the cases,” A-G Dame had stated.
After considering the arguments, presiding Judge Comfort Tasiame indicated that she found merit in the bail application.
They are to deposit their Ghana cards and report weekly to the Police until the final determination of the case.
Lawyers of the remaining protesters including Oliver Barker Vormawor and Felicity Nelson are also in court to pursue their bail applications.
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