Callers decry "evil" hand in decision to deny Gregory Afoko bail

Inside the Joy FM studio, hit song of the Nigerian music star, Teni, played in the background.

I slap police for your Case oo, I go to war for your Case oo
I go to court for your Case, I climb the bridge for your Case oo
Enter water for your Case oo, I punch the judge for your case oo
Anything you want baby, get for you baby

A murder suspect is getting tons of sympathy after the state kept him detention despite being granted bail by the High Court.

A judge, Justice George Buadi, in March, ordered that Gregory Afoko be released on bail. Despite meeting his bail conditions, the state refused to release him. Some 120 days later, the state shows up in the court of a different judge asking the earlier bail order is reversed.

It is done in a matter of minutes, leaving lawyers, civil society groups and opposition politicians seething with anger. Pressure group OccupyGhana in a statement called the continuous detention of Gregory Afoko “grossly wrong, blatantly unconstitutional and an egregious slap in the face of basic human rights, constitutionalism and the rule of law.”

But after the nicely laid out views of the professionals, it was callers on the Joy FM Super Morning Show who struggled to contain their emotions.

Largely not seized with any acute legal understanding, they were nonetheless seized with a sense that injustice has been done the man who spent 120 days under unlawful detention.

Kofi: Why would you go to a different court to reverse a decision if it is a fresh case? It is a shame.

Dennis: Somebody behind someone is trying to use power unduly. There is definitely a strong hand behind this case. It is unfair to the gentleman.

Benjamin (from Dansoman); This is a travesty of justice. This is just commonsense. This is happening under Akufo-Addo who was touted as a human rights advocate.  The state will do everything possible to find him guilty. We must rise up.

A caller, Deede; invited karma on all the actors in this case responsible for the continuous detention of Gregory Afoko. “We taxpayers employ them so they shouldn’t think themselves higher of the ordinary. They should think twice. We have to be careful as a nation oo, it can happen to you, it can happen to me.”

A caller from London, UK: What I am hearing today makes me wonder what is happening to our beloved country. They don’t take us seriously and it is very sad.

Fred, (from Obuasi): Recalled the book Carolina Skeletons (1988)  in which a 14-year-old African-American, George was sentenced to death by electrocution for murders he was unfairly convicted of.

There is something wrong in the country. I think there is a big hand behind this case that wants to see to it that something terrible should happen to this guy.

Kweku (from Pokuase); where is the voice of reason in this country? The voices that when they speak we all listen to. What is going on? Should we just wait for an appeal? Whaaa..t, Whaaat,  Whaaat kind of game is that? It is evil politicking!

We will all be judged one day. Whatever we do in this country we will be judged. May God help us.

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