The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Kodua Frimpong, has announced that the party will formally petition the Chief Justice over the conduct of Circuit Court 9 in the case of Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye. He indicated that the party has taken issue with the procedural inconsistencies in the handling of the matter and will seek administrative review.
“We are filing a petition to the Chief Justice for Kwasi Anokye Gyimah to be removed from the case of the Republic versus Abronye, because we believe that he has taken sides in the case. And he cannot be a judge in his own case, and therefore, justice will be well-served when the case is given to a different judge to look into the matter.”
Justin Kodua Frimpong
He explained that the court granted a short adjournment after the Attorney General requested additional time to examine court records. According to the General Secretary of the NPP, the court subsequently fixed a new date for the bail hearing, which was later determined by the court process.
He noted that during the adjourned proceedings, counsel for the accused moved a bail application before the High Court after earlier developments at the circuit level. He stated that the prosecution indicated no opposition to the application, a position that shaped the direction of the hearing.
From his account, the sequence of events surrounding the adjournment and the bail proceedings featured in the party’s legal review of how the matter was handled. He explained that the differing positions presented at various stages of the proceedings created questions within the party’s legal interpretation of the case process.
Kodua Frimpong stated that the court eventually granted bail under conditions administratively manageable for the accused. He added that the decision aligned with the party’s longstanding position that the charge relates to a misdemeanor that should ordinarily attract bail.
He stressed that the party’s concern extends beyond the outcome of the bail ruling and focuses on judicial conduct during the process. According to him, consistency in court procedure remains central to public confidence in justice delivery.
He further stated that the party has taken a firm view that the handling of the case requires review by a higher judicial authority. He explained that the petition seeks to address what the party considers unacceptable conduct by the presiding officer.
The NPP General Secretary added that the petition will also request the reassignment of the case to a different judge. He argued that impartial adjudication is essential for the credibility of proceedings involving politically sensitive matters.
He said that the party will pursue the matter strictly through constitutional and institutional channels. He indicated that the objective is to ensure that justice is administered in a manner that is both transparent and procedurally sound.
Court Admits Party Figure To Bail In GH¢100,000 Ruling
The High Court in Accra has released a New Patriotic Party member, Kwame Baffoe, known as Abronye on bail following an earlier decision that saw him held in custody in a matter involving allegations of false publication. The ruling came after a formal application for bail pending trial was moved before the court.
Legal representatives for the accused, led by former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and assisted by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, urged the court to grant temporary release while the substantive case is heard. They submitted that the applicant should be allowed to stand trial under appropriate conditions.
The prosecution, headed by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, informed the court that the state was not opposing the bail request. This development influenced the court’s handling of the application during proceedings.
The court then fixed bail at GH¢100,000 with two sureties. The decision was accompanied by conditions aimed at ensuring the accused remains available for trial and complies with court directives.
Under the terms set by the court, the accused is required to report to the Criminal Investigations Department once every two weeks. He is also required to surrender all travel documents and obtain permission before leaving the jurisdiction.
The initial remand decision had drawn commentary from sections of the public and legal community, with differing views on the appropriateness of custodial measures at that stage of the proceedings. The matter remained a point of discussion leading into the bail hearing.
In explaining the earlier ruling, the presiding judge noted that the decision was informed by considerations linked to the conduct of the accused and the need to preserve the integrity of the process. The court later revisited the issue during the bail application.
The case will continue under the stated bail conditions as the trial progresses.
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