Gov’t weaponising judicial system against opponents — Minority on Abronye’s detention

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has criticised the John Mahama-led government over the arrest and detention of Bono Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC.

They described his arrest and subsequent remand by an Accra Circuit Court as part of a broader plan by government to intimidate opposition figures and entrench a culture of silence.

In a statement dated September 9 and signed by Deputy Chief Whip, Jerry Ahmed, the Minority said the denial of bail amounted to punishment rather than justice.

“The circumstances surrounding Abronye DC’s arrest and detention reveal a disturbing pattern: the government is increasingly weaponising the judicial system against perceived opponents. This vague and overly broad application of the law falls far short of international standards of legal specificity.

“The denial of bail and his remand clearly suggest punishment, not justice. This case is not isolated. We see a deliberate and systematic campaign to suppress dissent,” the statement read in part.

Abronye was arrested on Monday, September 8, and arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court the following day.

He was remanded into police custody until Friday, September 12, 2025, on two counts of alleged “offensive conduct conducive to a breach of the peace.”

His arrest came just days after he publicly sought political asylum in eight countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Germany, and Côte d’Ivoire.

In the asylum petition, which was widely circulated online, the outspoken NPP chairman alleged political persecution and threats to his life from the Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohonu.