Kofi Amankwa Manu, a deputy minister of defence has said the security agencies will not hesitate to deal with people who threaten the peace and stability of the country.
His comment comes after the arrest of social media activist and convenor of pressure group #FixTheCountry, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, for allegedly stating that he would stage a coup in Ghana if Parliament passes the E-Levy bill.
Speaking at the launch of a youth empowerment programme in his Constituency on Sunday, Amankwa Manu said “When you have people who are supposed to know better talking or calling for coup’s it is worrying.”
“Sometimes I shudder to wonder if those who are calling for coups have really experienced coups in Ghana or in other countries within the sub region. I don’t think it is the way to go.”
“Look we have many people, we have people who support what the New Patriotic Party is doing, much the same way we have others who also have a different opinion, he added.”
The deputy minister is also advising anyone who has misgivings to explore legitimate avenue to express their misgivings.
“That is why within the laws of Ghana, we have set that every four years we will go to the ballot, so if you like what the NPP is doing, just go to the ballot and make that decision, if on the other hand you disagree, again you have the ballot to make that decision.”
State charges Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor with treason felony
The State has charged social media activist and convenor of pressure group #FixTheCountry, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, with treason felony, contrary to section 182 (b) of the Criminial and other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
According to the charge sheet filed at the Ashiaman District Court, the particulars of offence indicates that the accused person, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, sometime in February 2022, prepared to undertake any unlawful means an enterprise which usurps the executive powers of the Government of Ghana.
The convenor of pressure group #FixTheCountry, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, was picked up by the Tema Regional Police on Saturday 12 February 2022, for allegedly stating that he would stage a coup in Ghana if Parliament passes the E-Levy bill.
In a statement, the police said on Saturday (12 February) that Barker-Vormawor is being kept at the Tema regional police command for further investigations into his social media post.
In court
After his charge was read to him in open Court, DSP Sylvester Asare, read the brief facts. His lawyer, Akoto Ampaw, applied for bail for his client but the State opposed it.
In a ruling, Magistrate Eleanor Barnes Botchway indicated that she does not have jurisdiction to grant bail in a case involving the charge of treason felony.
She subsequently remanded the accused person into Police custody and by the two weeks’ timeline required by law to have accused persons on remand to make appearance in Court, she adjourned sitting to the 28 February 2022.
Social Media Post
In a series of Facebook posts ahead of Thursday’s demonstration against the bill, Barker – Vormawor described the Ghana Army as “useless” for not acting despite the public uproar against the yet to be passed bill. Government according to fiscal estimates present to Parliament by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, is targeting GHc 7 billion Ghana cedis in revenues annually into the national coffers.
“If this E-Levy passes after this cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!” Barker-Vormawor said in one of the posts.
In another post he said: “Okay, let’s try again. If this E-Levy still passes after this cake bullshit, then may God….Help us to resist oppressor’s rule, With all our will and might for evermore. (2x). Useless Army. Anaa, the value is the same?”
Brief facts
The brief facts as presented in Court DSP Sylvester Asare states that “the Accused person is a lawyer and Convener of social movement namely “FixTheCountry”. Sometime in February, 2022, the Ashiaman Police received a report that Accused person was inciting some group of persons believing to be members of the FixTheCountry movement”.
“That on receipt of the report, the Police mounted surveillance on the accused person until his arrest at Kotoka International Airport on Friday 11th February, 2022 when he arrived from the United Kingdom (UK). Preliminary investigation has revealed that accused is a lawyer and a PhD student at Cambridge University, UK”.
The facts further indicated that “it has also been established during investigation that Accused for some time now has been inciting some group of persons through the social media to undertake an unlawful enterprise to usurp the executive powers of the Government of Ghana”.
“Pursuant to his preparation to usurp the executive powers of the Government of Ghana, accused further published on his Facebook wall that the Ghana army is useless and went ahead to declare his intention in a Facebook post to stage a coup if the Electronic Transaction Levy [E-Levy] is passed by Parliament”.
Investigations according to the Police “also revealed that the said E-Levy Bill is currently before Parliament and that the accused arrival in the Country was in furtherance of his intention to stage a coup as declared by him”.
Fred Dzakpata
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