Ghanaian activist and lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor has revisited his past legal battle with the state, recounting how the Supreme Court allegedly failed to address what he describes as a clear violation of his constitutional rights following his arrest years ago.

In a social media post sighted by GhanaWeb on May 21, 2026, Barker-Vormawor reflected on his detention and subsequent legal challenge, stating that his lawyers filed an application at the Supreme Court after he was allegedly not presented before a court within 48 hours of his arrest as required by the Constitution.

According to him, the legal action was intended not only to seek justice for himself but also to help reform police practices for the benefit of others who may face similar situations in the future.

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“Many years ago, when the righteous were in power, my lawyers filed an application in the Supreme Court on grounds that by failing to present me before a court of competent jurisdiction, the Police had breached my constitutional rights to be presented before a court within 48 hours of my arrest,” he wrote.

Barker-Vormawor further alleged that then-Supreme Court judge Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo dismissed the legal challenge, referring to it as an “academic exercise” instead of addressing the constitutional issue raised.

“Araba Torkonoo said that instead of us going to look for bail for me, my lawyers were engaging in an ‘academic exercise’. Academic exercise when liberty was at stake,” he said.

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According to him, although the Supreme Court showed interest in granting him bail personally, it allegedly avoided making a broader ruling that could benefit others in similar circumstances.

He also accused former Deputy Attorney-General Diana Asonaba Dapaah of opposing attempts to secure bail at the Supreme Court level.

“She told the court they shouldn’t grant bail because it would set a precedent of people going directly to the Supreme Court to seek bail. She then promised that the Attorney-General’s Department would not oppose any bail application we filed at the High Court,” he claimed.

Read the post below:

Many many years ago, when the righteous were in power, my lawyers filed an application in the Supreme Court on grounds that by failing me to present me before a court with competent jurisdiction, the Police had breached my constitutional rights to be presented before a court…

— Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor (@barkervogues) May 21, 2026