Private legal practitioner, Lawyer Martin Kpebu, has raised concerns about Ghana’s bail laws, warning that certain legal provisions could easily be used to keep accused persons locked up for extended periods.

During the discussion, Kpebu focused on Section 96(5) of the Criminal Procedure law, explaining that a judge may deny bail if a person allegedly commits another offence while already on bail for a separate case.

Although he acknowledged that judges may technically rely on the law, he insisted the provision is dangerous and vulnerable to abuse.

“If we don’t stop this thing, security agencies will become emboldened to abuse citizens,” he cautioned on TV3.

Kpebu referenced older legal decisions and argued that even respected judges in the past warned against the excessive use of remand powers.

According to him, overreliance on such provisions threatens civil liberties and weakens public trust in the justice system.

The lawyer maintained that some controversial comments being prosecuted today fall within political expression rather than criminal conduct.

“There is a difference between hate speech and political satire,” he said. “We should be careful not to criminalise everything.”