The Minority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Osahen Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin has criticised the arrest and remand of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye, popularly known as Abronye DC, describing the development as a dangerous assault on constitutional rights and political freedom in Ghana.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, May 17, Afenyo-Markin accused state institutions, including the Ghana Police Service, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), formerly BNI, and the judiciary, of engaging in what he termed politically motivated intimidation against opposition members.
According to him, the arrest, prosecution, and continued detention of Abronye represent “a constitutional outrage” that undermines the principles of justice and due process guaranteed under the 1992 Constitution.
The Minority Leader referenced a Supreme Court decision contained in the 2015-2016 Supreme Court reports, specifically a ruling delivered on May 5, 2016, to support his arguments against the remand order.
Quoting portions of the judgment, he stressed that Article 19(2)(c) of the Constitution guarantees the presumption of innocence until a court of competent jurisdiction proves otherwise.
He argued that bail exists to protect citizens from arbitrary detention and prevent the state from abusing its powers against individuals who have not been convicted of any offence.
Afenyo-Markin further cited remarks by Justice Sophia Adinyira and Justice Julius Ansah, asserting that any law or action inconsistent with constitutional protections must give way to the Constitution.
The Effutu MP questioned why Abronye had been remanded into the custody of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) over what he described as a mere criticism of a judge.
According to him, the NIB is a state security institution mandated to handle threats to national security and not a facility for holding political opponents.
“The BNI, by law, is Ghana’s state intelligence and security service. It is not a remand prison,” he declared.
He maintained that Abronye’s alleged offence — posting a critical video about a judge — could not reasonably be classified as a national security issue.
“This has nothing to do with criminal justice and everything to do with political intimidation,” he alleged.
Afenyo-Markin also raised concerns over what he claimed was the failure of the court to issue a certified remand order several days after the ruling.
According to him, lawyers for Abronye had repeatedly visited the court registry seeking copies of the remand order without success.
He questioned the legal basis upon which the police and the NIB continued to hold the NPP chairman if no formal written order had been issued by the court.
“A remand order is not a verbal instruction. It is a formal judicial instrument,” he stressed.
The Minority Leader argued that if no signed and certified order existed, then Abronye’s detention could be unlawful and unconstitutional under Article 14 of the Constitution, which protects personal liberty.
He accused the authorities of either gross incompetence or deliberately using state power to intimidate political opponents.
The Minority Leader thus criticized the judge of Circuit Court 9, whom he repeatedly accused of bias and misconduct.
Afenyo-Markin described the court as an “NDC court” and alleged that the judge had abandoned judicial neutrality.
He criticised the judge’s reported decision to remand Abronye into NIB custody “until the case is finally determined,” insisting such a ruling was excessive and unlawful.
In a fiery remark, the Minority Leader said the judge had “no respect” from him and challenged the court to cite him for contempt if necessary.
He further questioned whether the judge was attempting to revise or distance himself from the language used in open court due to public backlash.
Afenyo-Markin argued that Abronye’s case was not isolated but part of a broader pattern of arrests and intimidation targeting members of NPP since the National Democratic Congress (NDC) assumed office in January 2025.
He cited several incidents involving NPP members and officials, including:
The arrest of the NPP Agona West Constituency Organizer, David Essandoh over a social media post about persistent power outages.
The prosecution of Sunyani-based NPP communications officer Abubakar Yakubu, popularly known as Baba Armando.
The arrest of NPP activist Alfred Ababio Kumi, also known as Adenta Kumi, over comments related to proceedings involving the Chief Justice.
An attempted arrest of Assin South MP and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, following allegations he made concerning suspicious aircraft activity in the country.
According to Afenyo-Markin, these incidents point to a disturbing trend of suppressing dissent and intimidating opposition voices.
The Minority Leader also called on Chief Justice, Paul Kwadwo Baffoe-Bonnie and the judicial leadership to intervene and protect the integrity of the judiciary.
He warned that the handling of Abronye’s case could damage public confidence in the justice system and tarnish the legacy of the current judicial administration.
“It’s a shame on the judiciary,” he declared, insisting that the courts must remain independent and uphold constitutional freedoms regardless of political considerations.
The arrest and remand of Abronye continue to generate public debate, with legal and political observers closely watching developments surrounding the case.
By 1960news.com
