Private legal practitioner Oliver Barker-Vormawor has strongly criticized Ghana’s justice system following the remand of comedian Funny Face into prison.
Barker Vormawor expressed bewilderment at the denial of bail to Funny Face, who remains in detention while awaiting trial.
He argued that individuals with recognizable status, like Funny Face, should be granted bail with the condition to report to the police as required.
Barker Vormawor took to Twitter to voice his concerns, labelling Funny Face’s continued imprisonment as unfair and absurd.
“The fact that Funny Face remains in prison highlights the flaws in our criminal justice system. Denying bail should only occur when there are genuine concerns about the individual’s reliability to attend trial. Funny Face, being a public figure, poses no flight risk and should be granted bail without hesitation,” Barker-Vormawor stated.
He further questioned the rationale behind using bail as a form of punishment, particularly when the person is already undergoing trial.
Barker-Vormawor criticised the seeming lack of empathy and respect for constitutional rights within the judicial system.
Background
On Sunday, March 24, 2024, the comedian’s vehicle nearly killed five persons, including a mother and two kids at Kasoa, Kakraba junction in the central region.
In a detailed report by UTV’s Central Regional correspondent, some eyewitnesses identified that the tragic incident stemmed from drunk driving, and cruising at an abnormal speed, among others.
See tweet below:
The fact that funny face is still in prison cells just shows you how ridiculous our criminal justice system is.
— Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor (@barkervogues) April 5, 2024
The only reason why a judge should deny a person bail, is where there is genuine uncertainty that they will not show up to stand trial.
Funny Face is a recognizable…