‘Barking’ Vormawor remanded again

The Ashaiman District Court, presided over by Magistrate, Eleanor Barnes Botwe, yesterday remanded Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, convener of the #’Fixthecountry Movement’, into custody again to reappear on March 15, 2022.

Mr Barker-Vormawor was picked-up for allegedly writing on social media his intention to topple the government if the E-Levy bill was passed.

When the case was called yesterday, his counsel, led by Justice Srem Sai, inquired about the court’s authority to deal with matters that affect the liberty of the Cambridge PhD student.

State Prosecutor ASP Sylvester Asare responded that the case was at the right forum since the charge of treason felony levelled against him is an indictable offence, adding that the trial of such cases must commence at the district court.

The magistrate then reminded Mr Barker-Vormawor’s legal team that she had earlier ruled that she had the mandate to remand the accused person and that if they wanted to request bail, the appropriate forum was the High Court.

Chaos in Court

The statement then got the accused person, who was standing few meters away from the magistrate, irritated. In rash response, he shouted: “We have not asked for bail.”

When the magistrate urged him to remain silent, and two officers moved closer to urge him to remain calm, the accused ignored the magistrate and arrogantly said: “We have not asked for bail. This is a kangaroo process. The bench has not covered itself in glory. I am not going to glorify a sham.”

The magistrate urged the lawyers to restrain the accused person, but continued: “This process is a sham.”

The magistrate then ordered his removal from the court, culminating in his being swiftly whisked away into a police van stationed outside the court.

Background

Mr Barker-Vormawor was charged with a treason felony on February 14, 2022. This is an offence provided for in section 182(b) of Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act.

According to Section 182 of the Criminal Offences Act, “A person is guilty of treason-felony and shall be punishable as for first-degree felony who —(b) prepares or endeavours to carry out by unlawful means any enterprise which usurps the executive power of the State in any matter of both a public and a general nature.”

The youth activist is accused of threatening to stage a coup should the E-Levy policy be passed.

“If this E-Levy passes after this cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!” he posted on Facebook on February 9, and was subsequently arrested on Friday, February 11, 2022.

According to the Police, Mr Barker-Vormawor’s “post contains 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.”