Oliver Barker-Vormawor has been charged with felony treason
#FixTheCountry activist arrested
Oliver Barker charged with treason felony
Court remands #FixTheCountry convener again
Embattled #FixTheCountry Convener, Oliver Barker Mawusi Vormawor went haywire on Monday, February 28, 2022, during a hearing of his case at the Ashaiman District Court, causing a judge to order his removal from the courtroom.
Oliver, who seemed peeved about the trial judge, Eleanor Kakra Barnes Botwe's conduct, described her court
Read full article.as a Kangaroo court.
Charged with treason felony, the activist was first arraigned before the Ashaiman District Court on Monday, February 14, 2022, following his arrest the Friday before.
He was denied bail by the court citing jurisdiction on the basis of the charges of treason felony pressed against him.
He was therefore remanded into custody, and the case adjourned to Monday, February 28, 2022.
When his case was called for the second time on Monday, the lead counsel for the accused, Justice Srem Sai, sought the court's answer on whether it lacked jurisdiction on dealing with matters that concern the personal liberty of his client.
He asked the court to provide an answer whether it "has the jurisdiction to determine the personal liberty of my client, for there is no point in bringing the prisoner to a court for his liberty to be decided when that court has no capacity or jurisdiction to determine this."
The prosecution, however, parried the defence counsel's question, arguing that the case was at the right forum since the charge of treason felony levelled against the accused is an indictable offence.
According to the prosecution, the Criminal Procedure Code, 1990 (Act 30) stipulates that the trial of indictable offences commence at a District Court.
The presiding judge at this point sought to remind the defence counsel that while she lacked jurisdiction to grant bail on the matter, she had the mandate to remand the accused person into custody and further reiterated a piece of advice she issued at the first sitting.
She advised the defence counsel to file a bail request at an appropriate court, which is the High Court.
Her statement, however, ignited fury from the accused person, who was standing in a dock some few metres away from the judge.
In a confrontation directed at the judge, Oliver Barker Vormawor shouted, "we have not asked for bail."
Seemingly perplexed by his action, Elaenor Kakra Barnes Botwe ordered the accused person to comport himself, emphasizing that he had no right to address the court without her explicit consent.
Oliver Barker, who was remonstrating the judge's order then shouted back, saying, "We have not asked for bail. This is a kangaroo court. The bench has not covered itself in glory. I am not going to glorify a sham."
The judge, who would have none of his tantrums, immediately ordered his removal from the courtroom.
Unpleased by the actions of the accused person, the judge described his attitude as though he sees the bench as being against him.
She emphasized that she, as a presiding judge, had no vexed interest in the trial and cautioned the defence counsel to get his client in check.
She noted that she would be compelled to order the accused person's absence from subsequent sittings if he fails to compose himself.
The police who had been called into the courtroom immediately whisked Oliver out and bundled him into the van he was brought to court in.
The case was subsequently adjourned to March 15, 2022, with the judge ordering another two weeks for the accused person.
Background
Oliver Barker Vormawor's arrest was effected by National Security Operatives on February 11, at the Kotoka International Airport after he had arrived in the country from the UK.
He was later handed over to the Ashaiman Police who announced his arrest as being in connection with his threat to stage a coup if the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) is passed into law by parliament.
According to the police, Oliver Barker in a Facebook post which he said he will "do the coup himself" if the proposed 1.5% E-Levy is passed into law, showed "a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic."
He was thus charged with treason felony by the police.
