Journalist and Editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Alans Dogbey, has been granted bail after he was jailed for contempt of court.
Mr. Dogbey was sentenced to seven days in prison on Thursday, June 25, by an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Isaac Addo after being found guilty of contempt over publications relating to a legal dispute between businessman Kevin Okyere, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Springfield Exploration and Production Limited (SEP), and Petraco SA.
The contempt charges stemmed from articles published by The Herald regarding a petition filed by Petraco SA against Mr Okyere.
According to the court, Mr Dogbey failed to comply with an interlocutory injunction restraining him from publishing further statements on the matter.
Despite Mr Dogbey’s argument during cross-examination that he was not served with notice to cease further publication, Justice Isaac Addo ordered that a Warrant of Committal be issued immediately to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service or his designated officers to enforce the sentence.
The court further stated that Mr Dogbey had flagrantly disregarded its authority.
“Despite this clear and unambiguous judicial directive, the Respondent willfully, contumaciously, and in flagrant disregard of the authority of this Court proceeded to breach the said Order of 11th June, 2025. The power of this Court to punish for contempt is grounded in Article 126(2) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 50 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004.”
It added: “Let a Warrant of Committal be issued immediately to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, or his designated officers, to carry this sentence into effect.”
Mr. Dogbey earlier confirmed the conviction in a social media post and in comments to CitiNewsroom.com.
“Justice Isaac Addo of an Accra High Court has just convicted me and sentenced me to seven days’ imprisonment in the case involving Kevin Okyere and Petraco SA. The Herald newspaper reported only on a petition filed by the multinational company with CID, EOCO, GIS, the Attorney General, etc. Ghana deserves better. Journalism is not a crime,” he wrote.
However, he was granted bail on Friday, June 26.
