State authorities on Monday, January 26, re-arrested Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, in a development that followed closely on the heels of a High Court decision striking out his application for certiorari over proceedings at the Gbese District Court.
Abu Trica is facing allegations of romance fraud, for which the United States has submitted an extradition request to the Ghanaian authorities.
Extradition proceedings against Abu Trica and two other individuals had been ongoing at the Gbese District Court. However, the State later discontinued the case against the two co-accused.
Following the discontinuation, counsel for Abu Trica argued that because the charge before the District Court was conspiracy, the withdrawal of the case against the other accused persons effectively collapsed the charge against their client. The District Court agreed with the argument and subsequently discharged all three accused persons.
Despite the discharge, Abu Trica returned to the High Court with an application for certiorari, seeking to quash aspects of the District Court’s proceedings.
At the hearing, the Attorney-General’s office contended that the application had become moot, citing the earlier discontinuation of the prosecution and the applicant’s discharge by the District Court.
Counsel for Abu Trica, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, countered that despite the withdrawal of the prosecution, his client remained in detention, creating what he described as a disconnect between the law and its practical application.
In response, the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, assured the court that if Abu Trica was still in custody following the discontinuation of the case, steps would be taken to secure his immediate release.
The High Court subsequently struck out the certiorari application, holding that the matter had become moot once the applicant had been discharged.
The re-arrest, which occurred shortly after the court ruling, has raised fresh questions about the status of the extradition process and the legal basis for Abu Trica’s continued detention.
