‘Ghana Jollof’ case: Techiman nurse shouldn’t have been remanded – Martin Kpebu

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has criticised the decision to remand a nurse, Salomey Awiti Bafoh, in connection with an investigation into the circulation of videos linked to the anonymous “Ghana Jollof” social media account.

Bafoh, a 40-year-old principal nursing officer and mother of three, was arrested in Techiman and later brought before the Adenta Circuit Court over her alleged involvement in the circulation of the videos.

The court on Thursday, September 17, remanded her for two weeks after the prosecution said investigations were ongoing and cited national security concerns.

Her lawyers have since filed an application at an Accra High Court seeking her release from custody.

Police accuse Bafoh of abetting the publication of false news by allegedly helping Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, also known as “Ghana Jollof”, to disseminate videos through social media.

Speaking in an interview at the court premises on Wednesday, September 23, Kpebu questioned the prosecution’s description of Bafoh as a distributor of the videos, arguing that content posted on social media is ordinarily accessible to a person’s followers and does not, by itself, establish the kind of distribution that should warrant detention.

The lawyer said he is not opposed to investigations into allegations involving the social media account but questioned the decision to arrest Bafoh over the matter.

“I support the application for bail. In fact, I don’t think she should have been remanded so far, based on what we know. She shouldn’t have been remanded. Ghana is stronger than that,” Kpebu said.

The lawyer further called on the authorities to address the underlying disputes through dialogue rather than relying on criminal proceedings where the circumstances do not justify them.

“Ghana Jollof has insulted people who are in high society, and she says she is retaliating for what Kevin Taylor has done, and that if Kevin Taylor stops, she will stop. So that’s where we must solve. You don’t go picking that particular detail,” he said.

He described the case against the “Ghana Jollof” account as a “foolish case” and called for a different approach to resolving the dispute.