The leader of the Democracy Hub, lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor, who was arrested during the #StopGalamsey protest from September 21 to September 23, 2024, has been granted bail by the Accra High Court. Barker-Vormawor, along with approximately 53 other members of the Democracy Hub, was held in police custody while the rest of the demonstrators were released on bail.
Reports indicate that Barker-Vormawor was granted bail on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, as disclosed by TV3.
He was granted bail of GH¢20,000 with two sureties.
Previously, the Accra High Court, under the jurisdiction of Justice Comfort Tasiame, had rejected Barker-Vormawor’s bail request on October 7, 2024, citing the need for further investigation and concerns about potential public unrest upon his release.
The judge pointed out that Barker-Vormawor was already facing trial for treason, making it complicated for him to be granted bail on another charge.
His legal team contended that his prolonged dete
ntion infringed upon his constitutional rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, stressing that the protests were non-violent and intended to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of illegal mining.
Kwaku Asante shared the information about his previous bail denial on the social media platform X on October 7, 2024.
Asante announced that Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the protest’s Convenor, was denied bail by the High Court. The judge has stated that Oliver is presently facing trial for treason. What guarantee is there that he will not reoffend if bail is granted?
Barker-Vormawor was apprehended with 53 others for unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, assaulting a public officer, and offensive conduct likely to disturb the peace. The arrests took place on Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, at the 37 Intersection in Accra during the demonstration against illegal mining, known as “galamsey.” It was reported that he was observed removing the keys from a parked police van during the protest.
