In a significant development, the High Court in Accra has officially acquitted and discharged Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a social activist who was standing trial for treason.
Barker-Vormawor was charged with treason felony in 2022 after National Security operatives arrested him for threatening a coup if Parliament passed the controversial E-Levy bill.
The activist’s detention and charges sparked widespread public debate and condemnation from civil society groups, raising concerns over free speech in Ghana.
As a result of the treason trial, Barker-Vormawor lost his Cambridge scholarship. The new Attorney General’s decision to discontinue Barker Vormawor’s trial is part of a growing trend of selective amnesty, where high-profile cases initiated by the previous administration are being dropped.
This move adds to the list of cases where the new Attorney General has filed nolle prosequi since taking office.
On Tuesday, March 18, the trial judge, Justice Mary Ekua Yanzu, acknowledged the Attorney General’s Nolle prosequi filing and declared that “the charges have been struck out and the accused person has been discharged.”
Neither Barker-Vormawor nor his lawyers were present in court. Barker-Vormawor has taken to social media to express gratitude to those who supported him throughout the proceedings.
