Dr Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, Senior Lecturer and Political/Policy Analyst at the University of Ghana, has said that if the NPP’s Bono Regional Chairman, Abronye DC, dies in police cells, a thousand more will rise.
According to Dr Zaato, governments should focus on performance rather than targeting critics, adding that public criticism cannot be stopped through arrests or intimidation.
Speaking on New Day on TV3, Dr Joshua Zaato stated, “Don’t pour out your failures on innocent communicators. They are not the cause of your problems”.
“If your economy is that robust and strong, if what you are doing is that good, let it speak for itself,” he stated.
“You don’t need to arrest Abronye because even if Abronye dies in police cells, a thousand Abronyes will rise up,” he said.
“Even if others are arrested, a thousand more will rise up because you cannot prevent people from speaking,” he added.
Meanwhile, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has revealed the party will petition the Chief Justice for the removal of Circuit Court Judge His Lordship Joseph Yenuban Kunsong, who was handling the case of Abronye DC.
According to Justin Kodua, the NPP finds the Circuit Court Judge’s conduct of the trial judge unacceptable.
Speaking to journalists after Abronye was granted bail, the NPP General Secretary stated, “We find the conduct of the trial judge unacceptable. To some extent, it’s misconduct, and it’s not something we’re going to let go”.
“We are filing a petition to the Chief Justice for Justice Yenuban Kunsong to be removed from the case of the Republic vs Abronye because we believe he has taken a stand in the case, and he cannot be a judge in his own case”.
Therefore, justice will be well served when the case is handed over to someone else”.
Meanwhile, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, has been granted bail by the Accra High Court after he was earlier remanded into custody.
Abronye’s lawyers, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who were led by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, moved a motion for bail pending trial.
Counsel for the applicant submitted, “We move in terms of the motion paper and pray that the applicant be granted bail pending trial.”
Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, who represented the prosecution, indicated that the Republic was not opposed to the application.
The High Court subsequently granted Abronye bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties.
Part of his bail conditions is to report to the Police CID once every fortnight, surrender all travel documents, and refrain from travelling outside the jurisdiction without permission.
