Police have parried accusations that they deliberately detained the embattled leader of FixTheCountry, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, for more than the stipulated 48 hours before dragging him to court.
According to the police officer prosecuting the charge of treason felony against Mr Barker-Vormawor, the accused spent 52 hours in detention because the Chief Justice failed to constitute a court on Saturday as the police had requested officially.
DSP Sylvester Asare explained to the Ashaiman District Court police made an official request to the office of the Chief Justice to constitute a court on Saturday, February 12, 2022, but they did not get a response.
While responding to a question from the presiding judge, Eleanor Kakra Barnes Botwe, in court on Monday, February 14, 2022, DSP Asare said they made the effort but it proved futile.
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He added that they tried all other means to have the accused arraigned over the weekend but “we did not get any response from the Chief Justice.”
DSP Asare also expressed surprise with the defence lawyers’ allegations that they were not allowed to see their client.
According to him, himself, together with counsels for the accused, Akoto Ampaw and Dr Justice Srem Sai, were at the Ashaiman District Commander’s office the whole day on Sunday trying to get a court for the accused to be arraigned.
He described the allegations as “baseless and untrue.”
The court presided over by Her Honour Eleanor Kakra Barnes Botwe while adjourning the case to February 28, urged the police to treat the accused person well.
The court also urged the media and the general public to be mindful of their commentaries and trust in the judiciary to do a good job.
The leading member of the Fixthecountry movement was picked up by the police at the Kotoka International Airport on Friday, February 11 and was charged for treason felony on Monday morning.