The High Court in Accra has refused bail to Salomey Bafoh Awiti, a senior nursing officer from Techiman, in a case linked to the “Ghana Jollof” social media account.
Awiti, 40, is facing a charge of abetment of crime over allegations connected to the publication of content on the account, which has become the focus of a police investigation.
The court, sitting on Thursday, September 24, held that the cyber-related nature of the investigation raised concerns about possible interference with witnesses if Awiti were released at this stage. It also directed the state to accelerate its investigations.
Her lawyer, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, had argued that Awiti should be granted bail, stressing that she remained presumed innocent until proven guilty.
He challenged the prosecution’s grounds for continued detention, arguing that the state had not presented sufficient evidence to establish that his client would interfere with witnesses or frustrate the investigation.
The lawyer also told the court that the alleged offence was a misdemeanour and drew attention to Awiti’s family responsibilities, including her role as a mother of minor children. He said the detention was affecting the enrolment of one of her children into Senior High School.
The prosecution opposed the application, maintaining that Awiti was still needed to assist investigators as they pursued leads in the case. The state also said her detention was relevant to efforts to trace another person associated with the “Ghana Jollof” account.
