Convener of the pressure group #FixtheCountry Campaigners, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, is expected before the court today, Monday, 28 February 2022, after his arrest for threatening a coup.
A release by the police explained that he was arrested on Friday evening (February 11) by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on social media to the effect that he would stage a coup himself if the E-Levy Bill is passed by Parliament.
“The post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic of Ghana,” the police statement dated 12 February 2022, signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs, DCOP Kwesi Ofori said.
After his post, a section of Ghanaians who found his comments distasteful poured out on social media to call the Ghana Police Service to arrest him.
He was arraigned on Monday, 14 February 2022, and has been on remand since his first Ashaiman District court appearance.
Mr Barker-Vormawor has been charged with treason felony. He pleaded not guilty.
#FixTheCountry describes itself as a non-partisan, non-aligned civic movement by Ghanaian youths for Ghana.
#FixTheCountry was birthed in 2021 via online protests after the government announced price hikes in fuel and telecommunication services.
The price increase was happening at a time of frequent power.
Other concerns highlighted by the angry social media users included high taxes, unemployment, dilapidated health system, high accommodation rate, poor road networks, and general hardships.
The group subsequently held a series of demonstrations and continued their online protests against government policies they believed were inimical to ordinary Ghanaians.
Most recently, #FixTheCountry submitted a petition to President Nana Akufo-Addo demanding the head of the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa, over the inability of the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) residents to vote for a representative in parliament.
Currently, SALL, which is in the Guan District, has no representation in parliament.
In the petition, Mr Barker-Vormawor had argued that the conduct of the EC officials in the SALL matter “meets the threshold of stated misbehaviour and, or incompetence as required under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution for the removal of these officials”.
#FixTheCountry insisted that the actions and inactions of the EC boss caused the people of SALL to lose their fundamental human rights.
There were 46 signatories to the petition, including residents of SALL.