FixTheCountry Convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor Charged With Treason Felony

A leading member of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has been charged with treason felony. This is an offence provided for in section 182(b) of Ghana’s Criminal offences Act. This provides; Section 182 Treason Felony. A person is guilty of treason-felony and shall also be punishable as for first-degree felony

who 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. Last Thursday, Vormawor took to social media to threaten a coup following pictures emerging from the Majority Leader’s 65th birthday bash showing an E-levy

designed cake. He posted, If this E-Levy passes after this cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army! In a subsequent post, he explained the context in which he used the word coup. He was also arrested on Friday evening after he arrived from the United Kingdom and there was no word about his whereabouts for

hours. The Police later released a statement about Mr Barker-Vormawor’s disappearance. According to the Police, 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. On the Monday,

Prosecutor, DSP Sylvestre Asare, informed the court that the Ashaiman Police received a complaint that Mr Barker-Vormawor was also inciting some persons to overthrow government. He said investigations had revealed that this incitement subsequently took place on social media. This he said formed the basis of the

charge against the accused person. Lawyers for Mr Barker-Vormawor led by Anthony Akoto Ampaw urged the court to grant him bail They accused the police of defying a Supreme Court ruling that stated that an accused person must be put before the court within 48 hours with weekends inclusive. DSP Asare in a sharp

rebuttal however pointed out that the Police over the weekend reached out to the Chief Justice hoping to get a court to hear the matter. All efforts, he continued provided futile. The judge hearing the matter, Eleanor Barnes also remanded the accused person into Police custody pointing out that the nature and severity of the

crime meant the court cannot grant bail. The court also ordered that he should be allowed to see his family and lawyers every day between 10 am and 4 pm. He is also expected to reappear on Monday, February 28.