Democracy Hub: Ama Governor, eight other protesters granted GH₵70k bail each

Ama Governor and eight other Democracy Hub protesters have been granted bail, each set at GH₵70, 000 with two sureties.

As part of the bail conditions, the accused must report to the police once a week and deposit their Ghana cards at the court registry.

This decision follows an appeal against an earlier ruling by the circuit court, which denied bail to the nine individuals.

They are part of a group of 53 people charged with unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, assaulting a public officer, and offensive conduct conducive to breaching the peace.

These charges stem from their alleged involvement in disturbances during a protest against illegal mining (galamsey).

Despite opposition from the state, the court granted the bail application submitted by the defense lawyers. The other eight individuals granted bail include Emmanuel Gyan, Emmanuel Kwabena Addo, Ziblim Yakubu, Oheneba Prempeh, Philip Owusu Kobina, Desmond Akisbik, Von Coffie, and Sadik Yakubu.

In a related case, an appeal concerning a similar bail denial involving Oliver Barker Vormawor, Felicity Nelson, and 10 others is currently under review.

Their release comes after protests demanding the release of the detained protesters erupted in Ghana and the UK. In Ghana, activists staged a three-day protest chanting slogans and holding placards that read “Free the Protesters” and “Justice for Democracy.”

The demonstrators emphasised the importance of the right to peaceful assembly and urged the government to respect citizens’ voices.

Simultaneously, supporters gathered outside the Ghana High Commission in the UK expressing solidarity with the protesters in Ghana and calling for the immediate release of all individuals arrested during the demonstrations.

Many attendees waved Ghanaian flags and carried signs bearing messages of support, drawing attention to the ongoing struggle for democratic rights in Ghana.