‘Greater Accra NPP will sleep wherever Salomey Baffoe is if…’ – Okoe Boye on continued detention

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Greater Accra Region says it will begin spending nights at the police station if Techiman-based nurse Salomey Awity Baffoe is not released within 24 hours.

The Chairman, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, said the party is preparing to petition the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, over the continued detention of the nurse, with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and the Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, George Atta-Boateng, expected to be copied.

Salomey Awity Baffoe, a senior nursing officer, has been remanded in connection with the Ghana Jollof case. She has pleaded not guilty to a charge of abetment of publication of false news.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Dr Okoe Boye said the party would picket at the police station until Salomey is released to return to her children.

“The Greater Accra NPP will write to the Chief of Staff and copy the IGP and Atta Boakye that if by the weekend they don’t release the detained nurse to go and take care of her children, we will sleep there until her release,” he announced.

He said the party was prepared to sustain the protest and attract international attention to the matter.

“We will picket until she is released because innocent citizens cannot continue to suffer under this abusive government,” he stated.

Dr Okoe Boye also questioned the legal basis for Salomey’s continued detention, arguing that two key principles of natural justice had not been properly applied in the case.

“The two fundamental pillars of natural justice have not occurred in her case. The first is the right to be heard.”

According to him, Salomey is being kept in custody under the justification of ongoing investigations, while the court has only dealt with her plea on whether she is guilty or not.

“She is being held under the excuse of investigation, and no judge has heard the case, except for her plea of whether she is guilty or not,” he stated.

He further questioned the decision of the Adenta Circuit Court to remand her for two weeks, arguing that the defence had not fully presented its case.

Dr Okoe Boye also invoked the legal principle nemo judex in causa sua, which means that no one should be a judge in their own case.

He questioned the relationship between the Executive, the police, and the judiciary, particularly in determining who is being protected in the case.

“The second one is nemo judex in causa sua, meaning no one should be a judge in their own case. Who appointed the IGP? It is the President. He is not the official complainant, but who are they trying to protect? Is it the President, and who even appoints the judges?” he asked.

Dr Okoe Boye consequently argued that, in his view, the circumstances raise questions about the separation of interests in the case.

“In this case, to a larger extent, you have a judge sitting in his own case. And only time will tell,” he said.

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