BY Issah Olegor
The controversial remand imposed on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe—popularly known as Abronye DC—by the Accra Circuit Court has escalated into a national debate over judicial independence, political bias, and the limits of free expression in Ghana.
The decision, handed down by Samuel Bright Acquah, has drawn sharp criticism from both the opposition and ruling party figures, raising questions about consistency and fairness in the judiciary.
The ruling sparked controversy after the judge cited George Orwell’s Animal Farm and misattributed quotes from former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe to justify restrictions on freedom of speech.
There is growing call for the dismissal of the judge who has allegedly been penned down for promotion to the High Court. His ruling in the Abronye’s case is said to lack foundation in law and contains extraneous opinion.
According to The Law Platform, Judge Acquah, who currently presides over Circuit Court 9 in Accra, has already been vetted by the Judicial Council.
The vetting reportedly took place on August 20, 2025, after 1:20 p.m., paving the way for his promotion under Article 144 of the 1992 Constitution, which sets the framework for the appointment of High Court judges.
Barring any last-minute objections from the Judicial Council or the Office of the Acting Chief Justice, Acquah will be among 13 judges expected to be appointed and sworn in by President John Mahama either later this month or in early October.
Arrest and Court Proceedings
Abronye DC was arrested on September 8, 2025, and arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court on two charges: offensive conduct conducive to the breach of public peace and publication of false news.
While these offences are legally classified as misdemeanours, Judge Acquah denied bail, ordering a one-week remand on grounds that the remarks, allegedly directed at the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), could undermine national security.
In his ruling, the judge controversially cited George Orwell’s Animal Farm, stating, “All men are equal, but some are more equal than others,” drawing national ire for implying that some individuals merit different legal treatment based on status.
Minority Leader Condemns Ruling
Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin—who also served as Abronye’s lead counsel—spoke at a forum at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) to denounce the ruling.
“In court, I brought the ruling of the judge. I was the lead counsel for Abronye,” Afenyo-Markin said.
He encouraged students to examine precedents, including the Court of Appeal decision in Tagor v. Republic, emphasizing, “The fact that a case gains notoriety in public space doesn’t whittle down the requirement to meet all the ingredients to be proven to find the person guilty. And that the prosecution must lead evidence.”
He described the judge’s reasoning as beyond legal logic:
“The judge said, ‘Accused person before the court is facing two charges of misdemeanour. Misdemeanour is a lesser offence, an offence that means nothing, really. If you are convicted, it’s a fine, then you go home.’ But then he went further and said, ‘However, in this instant case, the court will not look at only the charges being misdemeanour, but will extend it to the position of the IGP, to the country. The words which came from the accused person are likely to put the security of the nation into disrepute.’”
Quoting the judge directly, Afenyo-Markin added: “‘All men are equal, but some are more equal than others. This is what the judge said to remand Abronye into custody again.’ Such a dangerous precedent. If we don’t talk about it, where would be our democracy? If you are involved in a matter with somebody who is considered a big person in society, you go to jail.”
Government Spokesperson Expresses Shock
Hamza Suhuyini, Government Spokesperson and a lawyer by training, also expressed disbelief at the ruling:
“The decision of the trial court judge, especially in the Abronye case, defies every logic and every legal principle that I have come into contact with as a young lawyer. That point must be made,” he said.
Judgement
Reacting on the Judgement, he said “That decision, when I read it last night, I was embarrassed by that decision, especially as a government spokesperson. I simply didn’t know—it didn’t just sit well with me. I tried to look for justification behind such a decision, but I simply couldn’t.”
While defending the government’s non-interference with the judiciary, Suhuyini warned against what he saw as the judge’s self-serving bias:
“If you read the judgment, the same judge alluded to the fact that in 2023, he remanded an NDC activist for insulting Nana Addo as President of the Republic of Ghana. That same judge. And many of us in the NDC then condemned him for that action. It is that same judge who remanded the would-be presenter. So in his mind, what he did and he was held under Nana Addo, he can be forgiven to think that this government will also tell him.”
“The NDC did not win power to continue the perpetuation of illegality as far as our law courts are concerned.
Legal Practitioners Call for Action
Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner affiliated with the NDC, echoed concerns over Abronye’s detention.
Speaking on Asempa FM, he said: “We must let the Attorney-General and IGP Yohuno know that this is not lawful. We didn’t vote for the NDC for this type of governance, and I cannot be part of this type of government. If they don’t want to forgive him, they can grant him bail as the case proceeds.”
“When the verdict comes, then we can talk about sanctions. But keeping him in custody for two consecutive weeks is not lawful.”
Martin Kpebu added: “This is wrong and a sad day for our democracy. We must all rally support and speak against this because we cannot retrogress as a nation.”
Background On Abronye DC
Kwame Baffoe is a well-known political firebrand in Ghanaian politics, noted for his outspoken and often abrasive commentary.
Earlier this year, he applied for asylum in eight countries—including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Côte d’Ivoire—citing political persecution.
Allegations of Selective Justice
NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong criticized the seeming double standards in the handling of cases against party figures.
He contrasted Abronye’s arrest with the treatment of NDC’s Second National Vice Chairman, Awudu Sofo Azorka, who allegedly threatened the life of NPP’s Minority Leader.
“Abronye makes some false publications and insults the IGP, and he is swiftly thrown into detention without bail. But when an NDC executive threatens the lives of top opposition leaders, his arrest remains clouded in mystery,” Kodua Frimpong said.
The NPP alleges that such discrepancies reinforce perceptions of political bias within state institutions and erode public confidence in the justice system.
Controversy Over Azorka Case
The police claim that Azorka was arrested following the violent Akwatia by-election on September 2, but NPP officials, including Osman Masawudu, NPP National 3rd Vice Chairman have questioned the authenticity of this account.
“They told me they would arrest Azorka by Friday. But when I called again on Monday, the investigator told me they had only summoned him for interrogation. Later, one of the officers in Kyebi called to say he had been arrested, but the inconsistencies make me doubt the whole story,” Masawudu stated.
He described the purported arrest as a political ploy: “This so-called arrest is just a ploy to deceive Ghanaians into thinking the law applies equally. But we know the injustice of John Mahama’s government and how they manipulate the system.”
