'Flagrant disrespect' — Court remands Abronye over failure to surrender passport as bail condition
The Accra High Court has remanded the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, into police custody for failing to comply with a bail condition requiring him to deposit his passport at the court registry.
On Thursday, June 4, 2026, Justice Halimah El Alawa Abdul Bassit ordered that he remain in custody until the passport is surrendered, after dismissing an application seeking a variation of the bail terms.
The court described the failure to comply with its directive as a “flagrant disrespect” to its order.
“The court made specific orders directing applicant to deposit his passport at the registry of the court. The applicant has failed to comply with the order claiming that the passport is in the custody of the High Commission of the United Kingdom. This constituted a flagrant disrespect to the court's order. This court will not condone,” the judge stated.
Abronye is standing trial on one count of publication of false news and one count of offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace, relating to alleged statements he made about a Circuit Court judge, which the prosecution says were false and capable of undermining public confidence in the judiciary.
During the hearing, counsel for the accused, Daniel Martey Addo, urged the court to vary the bail condition, explaining that the passport was with the United Kingdom High Commission in Ghana. He presented a receipt confirming custody of the document.
Counsel also argued that the accused needed the passport to pursue educational plans in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2026, and added that he may also need to travel for health reasons.
The prosecution, led by Principal State Attorney Joshua Sackey, opposed the application, insisting that bail conditions are mandatory and must be strictly observed.
He argued that Abronye was granted bail on May 21, 2026, and that evidence showed the passport was handed to the UK High Commission on May 25, 2026, meaning he had possession of it after the court’s order but failed to deposit it as directed.
According to the prosecution, the bail terms required the accused to submit his travel documents to the court registry and not travel outside the jurisdiction without permission. He added that the accused could still apply to the court for permission to travel if necessary.
The prosecution further urged the court to ensure the passport is surrendered immediately upon its release from the High Commission.
Background to the case, Abronye was granted bail on May 21, 2026, in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties to be justified. He was also required to report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters every two weeks, surrender his travel documents to the court registry, and seek court approval before travelling outside the jurisdiction.