A journalist with Accra-based Power FM, Oheneba Boamah Bennie, who insulted and threatened President Nana Akufo-Addo has been granted bail.
Mr Bernie was invited by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on Monday, December 14, 2020, and kept in custody.
He was released at 5:15 pm on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, when the Police reportedly bowed to pressure from his lead counsel, Francis-Xavier Sosu to either send him to a court or have him released.
According to the renowned Human Rights and Public Interest lawyer, keeping his client beyond 48 hours was a violation of Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution.
Lawyer Sosu insisted that the offence in question was a misdemeanour and had to do with an alleged statement which the police already had and did not require any complex investigation.
He insisted that keeping the journalist in detention beyond the constitutional requirement also amounts to an abuse of power by the officers of the Ghana Police Service.
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The Police, that held the journalist on allegations of Offensive Conduct conducive for breach of the Peace under Sections 207 and 208 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960, Act 29, admitted him to bail in the sum of 100,000 with two sureties.
He is to report to the Police on Thursday, December 17, 2020.
Oheneba Bennie was grateful to his legal team which was made up of Dr Abdul Basit, Kojogah Adawudu, Sam P. Yalley and Mr Sosu, the Member of Parliament-Elect for Madina and all supporters who assisted him.
Edem Agbana, the National Organiser of the National Democractic Congress (NDC), Captain Joshua Akamba and madam Evelyn Mensah were some national officers of the NDC present to lend support to him.
