By Daniel Bampoe
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has condemned the decision of the Adenta Circuit Court to remand Salomey Awiti Bafoh, a principal nursing officer and mother of three, for another two weeks, raising questions about the allegations against her, the basis for her continued detention and the jurisdiction of the court handling the case.
In a statement issued on September 18, 2026, and signed by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP said it was “deeply concerned” about the decision of the Adenta Circuit Court, presided over by Her Ladyship Angela Attachie, to extend Bafoh’s detention.
Bafoh, who resides in Techiman, was reportedly arrested in the Bono East Region and subsequently brought to Accra after being held incommunicado for several days, according to the NPP. Her case subsequently came before the Adenta Circuit Court, where the prosecution presented allegations concerning her alleged connection to the social-media account known as “Ghana Jollof.”
According to the NPP’s account, when Bafoh first appeared before the court on September 16, 2026, the prosecution reportedly alleged that she was connected to the “Ghana Jollof” social-media account and was being investigated over an alleged plot to overthrow the government.
However, the party said the prosecution’s position changed the following day, when a different allegation of abetment of the publication of false news was presented under Sections 20(1) and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). The NPP said the change in the prosecution’s case raises questions about the grounds on which Bafoh’s continued detention is being justified.
The party’s concerns centre particularly on the length and circumstances of the detention. The NPP said Bafoh had already spent approximately a week in custody before she was further remanded, while prosecutors maintained that investigations were still ongoing.
The party argued that pre-trial detention should not become a substitute for investigation or operate as punishment before a person has been convicted. It cited Section 96 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), stating that bail conditions are required to be reasonable and that bail should not be withheld as a form of punishment.
NPP Questions Adenta Court’s Jurisdiction
Beyond the issue of bail and continued detention, the NPP has questioned the territorial jurisdiction of the Adenta Circuit Court in the matter.
The party noted that Bafoh resides in Techiman and argued that the prosecution should demonstrate the legal and territorial basis for bringing the case before the Adenta court. Specifically, it wants prosecutors to establish what particular act allegedly constituting the abetment occurred within the jurisdiction of the court.
The NPP has also broadened its concerns to what it describes as an emerging pattern involving politically sensitive cases against social-media commentators and critics of the government being brought before the same Adenta Circuit Court.
While acknowledging the constitutional independence of the Judiciary, the party said such independence must be accompanied by impartiality, fairness and strict adherence to due process.
The statement went further by raising questions about whether the court is being used by the prosecution in connection with the Chief Justice, Baffoe Bonnie, to advance what it says has reportedly been described as the agenda of the “old man,” which the statement identifies as a reference to President John Mahama. This is an allegation and political claim made by the NPP; the statement does not present it as an established judicial finding.
Party Demands Review Of Detention
Against this background, the NPP has called for an immediate review of Bafoh’s continued detention and for her admission to reasonable bail.
The party is also demanding that the prosecution clearly establish both the legal and territorial basis for the charge before the Adenta Circuit Court. It further called for full respect for Bafoh’s constitutional rights, including her right to personal liberty, the presumption of innocence and a fair trial.
The NPP has additionally called on the Chief Justice and the Judicial Council to take note of what it describes as growing concerns over the handling of politically sensitive cases before the Adenta Circuit Court.
It also urged the government and security agencies to desist from what it described as using the criminal justice system to intimidate or silence citizens who criticise those in power.
The party concluded by stressing that it would continue to defend what it described as the constitutional rights and freedoms of Ghanaians regardless of their political affiliation.
According to the NPP, public confidence in the democratic system could be undermined if the machinery of justice is perceived as being used to punish dissent.
