A circuit court judge has ignited a firestorm of criticism after denying bail to prominent NPP figure Kwame Baffoe, known as Abronye DC, by invoking a misattributed quote from Ugandan dictator Idi Amin—falsely credited to Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe—and a satirical line from George Orwell’s Animal Farm, while notably sidestepping direct references to Ghanaian law.
Abronye, the Bono Regional Chairman of the opposition NPP, appeared before Judge Samuel Bright Acquah on Friday, September 12, facing two misdemeanor charges of offensive conduct for allegedly insulting Inspector General of Police (IGP) COP Christian Tetteh Yohunu. The court ordered Abronye remanded for an additional week, adjourning the case to September 19, and granted a variation allowing him to be held at the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) instead of general police custody.
In a lengthy oral ruling that drew heavily from philosophy, history, and literature, Judge Acquah emphasized the limits of free speech, declaring, “If the citizens of Ghana do not set restrictions for themselves, then the court will do that for them.” He then paraphrased the infamous quote: “The late president Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe once said that ‘I can assure you of freedom of speech but cannot assure you of freedom after speech.’ He was reminding us that no freedom is absolute but goes with restrictions.”
However, the remark, often cited as a warning against unchecked expression, has long been attributed to Idi Amin Dada, the brutal Ugandan leader whose regime from 1971 to 1979 was marked by widespread human rights abuses, not Mugabe. The misattribution quickly became a flashpoint on social media, with users and activists decrying it as emblematic of judicial overreach.
The judge further analogized free speech to personal space, stating, “It is also said that your freedom or rights ends at where my nose begins. You can have your rights/freedom as you throw your hands above but, make sure it does not touch one other’s nose.” He expressed a broader societal concern, lamenting that Ghanaian society is “polluted with insults which if not checked will put the security of the nation into disrepute or open the Pandora door for many people to also do same.”
To underscore judicial consistency, Acquah referenced two prior cases. In May 2023, NDC sympathizer Raphael Okai Ankrah was remanded for two weeks after insulting then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Just two to three weeks ago, journalist Emmanuel Kwakye from Wontumi TV faced a similar two-week remand for comparable offenses. “So under 2 different regimes the court has been consistent and the court does not see why he should deviate from that consistency,” the judge ruled.
The ruling’s most controversial flourish came in addressing equality before the law. Acquah invoked Orwell’s Animal Farm, noting, “It is always said that all persons are equal but in practice, it is not so. Courtesy George Orwell in his book ‘The Animal Farm’ one of the commandments is that all men are equal but some are equal than others.” He elaborated, “You can say anything to Mr A and Mr A will forgive you but say similar things to Mr B and Mr B will not forgive you. Hence freedom of expression in this country for that same freedom goes with restrictions.”
Defense counsel argued that Abronye’s statements did not warrant bail denial under Section 96(5)(a)(b) of Act 30, as there was no evidence of flight risk or interference. But Acquah dismissed this, extending scrutiny to the IGP’s position as head of national security, claiming the insults could “put the security of the nation into disrepute.”
The decision has fueled accusations of selective justice and authoritarian leanings. Social activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor lambasted the ruling on X, writing, “The funny thing is that this Judge said he was quoting Mugabe. But he actually quoted Idi Amin. He quoted a dictator to justify denial of bail in a democracy. Ewurade.” Other reactions poured in, with one user calling it “an embarrassment to the judiciary” and invoking Animal Farm to critique the irony: “Welcome to Animal Farm Ghana where justice is equal but some are more equal than others.”
Abronye’s lawyer, who requested the NIB variation citing safety concerns, has hinted at an appeal. As the case unfolds amid Ghana’s tense political climate ahead of elections, critics warn that such rulings erode public trust in the judiciary, turning courtrooms into stages for drama rather than bastions of justice.
The Judicial Service of Ghana has yet to comment, but calls for Judge Acquah’s review or dismissal are gaining traction online.
