The President of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), David Tamakloe, has clarified that the 10-day bail granted to journalist Larry Dogbey is conditional and tied to the filing of a substantive appeal against his contempt conviction.
Mr. Tamakloe explained that the temporary release was secured after the journalist’s lawyers filed an urgent ex parte application seeking a stay of execution of the sentence while an appeal is pursued.
According to him, the bail arrangement is strictly time-bound.
“The bail is to take effect for just 10 days. If after the 10 days he does not return to the court with a proper notice, then he goes back into custody, because this was filed ex parte. He needs to file an appeal on notice,” he said.
He added that the legal process will proceed once a formal appeal is filed and served on all parties involved.
“That appeal will then be argued by both parties, after which a final decision will be taken on the contempt appeal,” he explained.
Larry Dogbey was sentenced to 10 days in prison by the Accra High Court on Thursday, June 25, after being found guilty of contempt of court.
The conviction stemmed from publications by The Herald newspaper relating to a legal dispute between businessman Kevin Okyere of Springfield Exploration and Production Limited and Petraco SA.
The court, presided over by Justice Isaac Addo, held that Dogbey breached an interlocutory injunction restraining further publication on the matter. The journalist, however, argued that he was not properly served with the court order prior to the alleged breach.
PRINPAG has urged media practitioners and the public to allow the legal process to take its course as the appeal process unfolds.
