The High Court in Accra has officially discharged Social activist, Oliver Barker-Vormawor of all treason felony charges in a case he was alleged to have threatened to stage a coup.
This follows an official withdrawal of the charges against him by the Attorney General (AG) upon the entry of a Nolle Prosequi on March 12.
In Court on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, State Prosecutors led by Esi Yankah, a Principal State Attorney informed the Court of the AG’s decision to withdraw the charges through a (Nolle Prosequi).
Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh has struck out the charges as withdrawn and discharged Barker-Vormawor.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah who was in Court reports that, Barker-VORMAWOR was absent on the day he was discharged by the Court.
Per the law, a Nolle Prosequi, is a formal notice or a legal declaration that the state or prosecution is abandoning the case and will not proceed with the trial.
Barker-Vormawor was on February 14, 2022 arraigned before the Ashaiman District Court and charged with two counts of treason felony.
On August 1, 2022, Her Honour Ms. Eleanor Barnes Kakra Botwe, the Circuit Court judge sitting with additional responsibility as Magistrate committed him to stand trial at the High Court on September 1, 2022.
He had since September, 2022 been appearing before the High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh with the trial yet to start.
Barker-Vormawor was arrested upon his arrival from the UK on Thursday February 11, 2022 after he was alleged to have threatened to stage a coup in Ghana if the controversial e-levy was passed.
The Police in a statement said his “post contained 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.”
Sequence of events
- February 11, 2022: Oliver Barker-Vormawor was arrested upon his arrival from the UK for allegedly threatening to stage a coup in Ghana if the controversial e-levy was passed.
- February 14, 2022: Barker-Vormawor was arraigned before the Ashaiman District Court and charged with two counts of treason felony.
- February 2022 – July 2022*: Barker-Vormawor’s case went through the necessary legal proceedings, including bail hearings and preliminary investigations.
- July 2022: The Ashaiman District Court committed Barker-Vormawor to stand trial at the Circuit Court.
- August 1, 2022: The Circuit Court judge, Her Honour Ms. Eleanor Barnes Kakra Botwe, committed Barker-Vormawor to stand trial at the High Court.
- September 1, 2022: Barker-Vormawor’s trial was scheduled to begin at the High Court in Accra, presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh.
- May 20, 2024: Prosecution opposed Barker-Vormawor’s motion for referral of a section to the Supreme Court for interpretation.
- May 27, 2024: The High Court dismissed Barker-Vormawor’s motion and ordered the trial to commence on July 2, 2024.
- December 11, 2024: Barker-Vormawor filed a motion at the Supreme Court, invoking its supervisory jurisdiction for an order of certiorari to issue to the High Court.
- March 12, 2025: The Attorney General filed a Nolle Prosequi to drop the treason felony charges against Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
- March 18, 2025 (expected): State Prosecutors officially informed the High Court, and Barker-Vormawor is formally discharged.
