Minority Leader and Effutu MP Alexander Afenyo-Markin has launched a fierce attack on the judge presiding over Circuit Court 9 in Accra, accusing him of bias and incompetence during a press conference held at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) headquarters in Asylum Down.
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Afenyo-Markin expressed outrage over the remand of NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, who is currently facing charges of offensive conduct likely to breach the peace and publication of false news.
“I have no respect for the judge at Circuit Court 9. That NDC judge should be ashamed of himself. I pray he cites me for contempt,” Afenyo-Markin declared. He further questioned the judge’s legal competence, saying, “He doesn’t speak law, and I don’t know where or how he even passed his law exams.”
The Minority Leader argued that the court’s decision to deny Abronye DC bail was politically motivated and an attack on free speech. According to him, criticizing a judge or public official should not amount to a criminal offence in a democratic state.
Afenyo-Markin also accused the government of using the judiciary and state security agencies to intimidate opposition members. He claimed there was an “unholy alliance” between the Executive and parts of the judiciary aimed at silencing critics of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
During the press conference, he questioned the legality of Abronye DC’s detention at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), alleging that no signed remand warrant had been produced by the court several days after the ruling.
He described the situation as a “constitutional disgrace” and demanded Abronye DC’s immediate release.
The outspoken lawmaker further compared recent arrests of NPP members to the era of political repression under the PNDC military government, warning that Ghana risks sliding backwards in democratic governance if dissenting political voices continue to face intimidation.
