Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has stated that he will thoroughly review the dockets in the case involving #FixTheCountry activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor before deciding whether to drop the charges against him. Barker-Vormawor has been charged with treason felony over a social media post that allegedly incited a coup.
Speaking during an interaction with the media, Dr. Ayine emphasized the importance of studying the details of the case before making any decisions.
“With respect to the charges against Oliver, I will definitely also study the docket. The statement that he made is one that was made in the media. The docket has been built, you know, and I will study the docket,” he said.
Dr. Ayine acknowledged the need for due diligence in forming an opinion on whether the charges were appropriate or politically motivated. However, he refrained from giving any guarantees.
“And based upon my own opinion of whether or not they are trumped-up charges, I may, you know, drop the charges. All right, I’m not going to, you know, stand here and assure you that I’m definitely going to drop the charges. Not having read the docket and, I mean, come to an opinion as to whether or not the charges were properly laid and should be dropped,” he added.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor has been a prominent figure in the #FixTheCountry movement, advocating for political and economic reforms in Ghana. His arrest and subsequent charges sparked widespread debate about freedom of speech and the boundaries of political dissent.
On Monday, February 14, 2022, the Ashaiman District Court remanded Mr. Barker-Vormawor into police custody until February 28, 2022. Barker-Vormawor was arrested on Friday, February 11, 2022, upon his return to the country. According to a police statement, his arrest was prompted by a comment he made on social media, in which he stated that he would stage a coup if the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) was passed into law.
In 2024, Barker-Vormawor requested that his trial be heard on a daily basis; however, the court did not approve this request, and the case remains pending.
