Full ruling: Why Circuit Court denied bail for Abronye DC

The judge at Circuit Court 9 has released his ruling remanding New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, into custody, stating in his reasoned ruling that he was satisfied Abronye could commit further offences if granted bail.

The ruling, delivered six days after the initial decision, has now provided detailed legal grounds for the court’s refusal to grant bail to the accused person, who is facing charges of offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace and publication of false news.

According to the court, presided over by His Honour Joseph Yennuban Kunsong, the decision was anchored on Section 96(5)(c) and (d) of Act 30, which allows the denial of bail where there are reasonable grounds to believe an accused may reoffend while on release.

In the earlier proceedings, Abronye DC pleaded not guilty after the charges were read and explained to him. His lawyers had urged the court to admit him to bail, arguing that he had already been granted police enquiry bail on a GH¢50,000 bond with two sureties, had honoured police invitations, and was not a flight risk.

The defence further argued that the charges were yet to be proven and that denying bail would infringe on his constitutional rights, including freedom of expression, while citing Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution and the Supreme Court decision in Martin Kpebu v The Republic.

However, prosecutors strongly opposed the application, insisting that the accused was already facing a similar charge before another court and that the alleged offence was committed while he was on bail.

The prosecution maintained that releasing him again would increase the likelihood of further offending and relied on Sections 96(5)(c)(d), 208(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and Section 296(4) of Act 30.

In its reasoned ruling now released, the court held that having considered the submissions from both sides, it was convinced that granting bail would expose the accused to the risk of reoffending. It, therefore, refused the bail application and ordered that Abronye be remanded into BNI custody pending trial.

The court also directed the prosecution to file disclosures within 14 days to ensure a speedy hearing of the case.

The matter has been adjourned to May 27, 2026.

The decision, which was initially delivered in court days ago, has since generated political reactions. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has criticised the ruling, arguing that the court misapplied the law in refusing bail.

He further stated that he would “continue to disrespect” the judge over what he described as a wrong interpretation of the legal provisions governing bail, comments which have reignited public debate over judicial independence and the boundaries of political commentary on court decisions.