Former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has called for the release of Techiman-based nurse Salomey Bafoh Awiti, who has been remanded for two weeks over alleged involvement in the publication and circulation of false news.
In a Facebook post on Friday, September 18, Dr Bawumia described the circumstances surrounding the nurse’s arrest and detention as “very worrying”, while raising concerns about the protection of freedom of expression in Ghana.
“The story of how a Techiman based nurse and mother of 3 (including a 4yr old) Salomey Bafoh Awiti was picked up in the middle of the night by national intelligence officers and has been remanded for two weeks on suspicion that she is abetting the publication of false news is very worrying to read,” he wrote.
Ms Awiti, a 40-year-old senior nursing officer, was remanded by the Adentan Circuit Court on Thursday after pleading not guilty to a charge of abetment of crime relating to the alleged publication and circulation of false news. The prosecution alleges that she acted as a liaison for UK-based TikToker Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, popularly known as “Ghana Jollof”, and assisted in disseminating content through social media. The allegations are yet to be established by the court.
Dr Bawumia said the development should not be used to undermine freedom of speech, although he acknowledged the need for responsible political discourse.
“I have always disavowed a politics of insults and will remind all in the political space of the need to be decorous. The ideas we need to transform our nation won’t come from insults,” he stated.
He, however, argued that criticism and offensive speech should not automatically lead to restrictions on citizens’ rights.
“But I also remind the NDC government that any infringement on the right to free speech pushes our democracy backwards. Free speech, as unpalatable as it may be sometimes, is the foundation of our democracy,” Dr Bawumia said.
The NPP flagbearer also questioned the role of intelligence agencies in dealing with citizens accused of making offensive statements against political leaders.
“I can assure Ghanaians that when given the opportunity, our intelligence agencies will not be reduced to chasing citizens for insulting the President or anyone else,” he said.
Dr Bawumia further accused the government of what he described as “continuous selective applications” of the law, arguing that some citizens face different consequences for similar conduct depending on whom their comments target.
“Some citizens can insult and walk freely and others are jailed because the government doesn’t like the target of their insults,” he wrote.
He consequently called for the release of Ms Awiti and other persons he said had been similarly charged and jailed.
“Please release Salomey Bafoh Awiti and others who have been similarly charged and jailed,” Dr Bawumia said.
The court has remanded Ms Awiti in police custody for two weeks, with the case expected to come before the court again on September 30, 2026.
