NewzThe High Court has cited the cyber-related nature of the investigation as a key reason for refusing bail to Salomey Awiti Baffoe. Salomey Awiti Baffoe, a 40-year-old Senior Nursing Officer from Techiman, is in court for allegedly abetting the publication of false news. The charges are tied to the high-profile “Ghana Jollof” TikTok case.
The court, in its ruling on Thursday, September 24, said releasing the accused at this stage could create a real risk of interference with witnesses as investigations continue. The court therefore declined the bail application and directed the Republic to expedite its investigations. The decision followed an application by counsel, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, who argued that his client was entitled to bail based on the constitutional presumption of innocence.
Read also: High Court denies bail application for Salomey Awiti Baffoe He maintained that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient grounds to justify continued detention, arguing that it had presented only bare depositions. Mr Awuah also argued that the charge against the accused is a misdemeanour and that there was no evidence to suggest she would interfere with investigations or witnesses if released. The counsel further asked the court to consider the personal circumstances of his client, including her role as a mother to minor children.
He told the court that one of her children is due to enrol in Senior High School and that her continued detention was affecting the child’s education. The State, however, opposed the application, arguing that the accused was still required to assist the police with investigations. The prosecution also said investigators needed her to remain in custody to assist in efforts to track down a second accused person identified as “Ghana Jollof”.
After considering the arguments, the court maintained that the cyber-related nature of the investigation raised concerns about possible interference with witnesses. The High Court’s decision to deny bail to Salomey Awiti Baffoe has been criticised by criminologist and lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Jones Opoku-Ware, who described the continued detention as “high-handedness.” The court on Thursday, September 24, refused a bail application filed on behalf of the 40-year-old Senior Nursing Officer from Techiman after the prosecution opposed her release. The prosecution argued that Ms Baffoe is still needed to assist with ongoing investigations into the case, which is linked to the high-profile “Ghana Jollof” TikTok controversy.
In its ruling, the court said the investigation is cyber-related and that releasing Ms Baffoe at this stage could create a real risk of interference with witnesses. It subsequently directed the Republic to expedite its investigations. Reacting to the ruling on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, Dr Jones Opoku-Ware said he disagreed with the court’s decision, particularly because the offence is a misdemeanour.
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