Accra – The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the judiciary of imposing what it describes as unreasonable and punitive bail conditions on individuals perceived to be affiliated with the party, calling the practice unconstitutional and politically motivated.
At a press conference in Accra, the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, urged the judiciary and law enforcement agencies to uphold the principles of fairness and justice in handling cases involving party members. He argued that recent developments reflect “a worrying trend” of selective application of the law against opposition figures.
Mr. Frimpong said the imposition of excessive bail amounts violates Section 96 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), as well as established Supreme Court rulings that affirm bail should not be punitive or used as a form of punishment.
“An accused person who is not tried within a reasonable time is entitled to bail irrespective of the nature of the offence,” he stated. “However, recent developments clearly suggest that NPP members are being detained beyond lawful limits and subjected to unreasonable bail conditions, effectively denying them justice.”
He also cited Article 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and accused the current administration of reversing this principle.
“Under this John Mahama administration, persons accused of offences are rather presumed guilty until they prove their innocence,” he added.
The NPP General Secretary mentioned several party figures including Chairman Wontumi, Kwabena Adu Boahene, Abdul-Wahab Hanan, Gifty Oware Mensah, and Osei Assibey Antwi as examples of those facing harsh treatment from the justice system. He described the reported GH¢800 million bail condition imposed on one accused person as “ridiculous,” saying it effectively amounts to a denial of bail.
Mr. Frimpong also criticized what he called growing fear within the judiciary, claiming some judges are reluctant to apply the law impartially due to fear of political victimization.
“Judges now appear to fear dispensing justice because they think they may suffer the same fate as Justice Torkornoo. Some even justify unlawful detentions by quoting dictators like Idi Amin,” he alleged.
The NPP further accused the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akurintinga Ayine, of abusing prosecutorial powers and acting as “a court of law” by publicly declaring opposition figures guilty before trials begin.
Mr. Frimpong claimed the Attorney General often uses nolle prosequi to free members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused of financial crimes while targeting opponents with politically motivated prosecutions.
He also accused law enforcement agencies of prioritizing the arrest of social media users over addressing pressing national security issues.
“The police seem more interested in arresting and prosecuting social media users for criticizing government officials than in tackling insecurity in the country,” he said.
According to the NPP, this pattern of selective justice and intolerance is undermining public confidence in Ghana’s democracy and reviving a “culture of silence,” where citizens are intimidated into withholding dissenting views.
Touching on the issue of illegal mining (galamsey), Mr. Frimpong accused the NDC of hypocrisy, alleging that some of its members, including party executives and MPs, have engaged in illegal mining activities and even clashed with security officers enforcing anti-galamsey laws.
He, however, reaffirmed the NPP’s commitment to supporting the government in addressing the menace.
“We acknowledge the grave threat galamsey poses to our environment and are ready to cooperate in finding lasting solutions,” he said. “We will not play politics with this issue as the NDC did in opposition. The NPP remains a responsible opposition, committed to working in the national interest.”
Mr. Frimpong concluded by calling for respect for constitutional safeguards, equal justice for all citizens, and an end to what he described as politically motivated harassment of opposition figures.
Story by Doe Benjamin Kofi Lawson