‘It’s too harsh’ – Lawyers for Ernesto Yeboah question GH¢100,000 bail

A circuit court has imposed a GH¢100,000 bail on leader of the Economic Fighters League, over a vigil organised in support of anti-racism protests in US.

Ernesto Yeboah has been charged with one count of failure to notify the police of a special event contrary to Section 1(1) of Act 491.

He pleaded not guilty.

The police had earlier said they would charge him with two offences under the Restrictions Act.

But in court only one was filed.

The judge set the bail to the sum of GH¢100,000 with three sureties, out of which two must be public servants.

His lawyers complained, the bail terms were harsh and excessive for an offence which is a misdemeanour.

They explained Ernesto Yeboah was already on a police enquiry bail.

But the judge would not revise the bail terms. The case was adjourned to July 7, 2020.

The accused has submitted his sureties and the police have indicated they would be checking each of the three properties, which are widely scattered across Accra.

They indicated this must be done before the accused can go back to court and sign the final documents granting bail.

The George Floyd vigil

Ernesto Yeboah was arrested by security operatives at the Black Star Square on Saturday in Accra.

He was leading a vigil in protest of police brutality which led to the killing of African-American man, George Floyd, in in the United States of America (USA).

Mr Yeboah has denied not notifying the police before he undertook his activities. He said he wrote a letter to the Accra regional police command, copied to Interior Minister, Foreign Affairs, Inspector General of Police.

The letter was also circulated on social media.