Legal counsel for Paul Adom-Otchere, Nicholas Lenin Anane Agyei, has criticized the bail conditions set by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as unreasonable and punitive. This reaction follows the OSP’s requirement that Mr. Adom-Otchere provide two landed properties registered in his name as a condition for his release on bail.
Although the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has been formally granted bail, he remains in custody because he is unable to meet this requirement. In an exclusive interview with Channel One Newsroom on Thursday, July 31, Mr. Agyei argued that the OSP’s approach seems to be an attempt to unlawfully prolong his client’s detention. He maintained that the bail conditions are excessively restrictive and unfair.
“It is unreasonable in the context of bail to require an accused person to produce properties in his own name. What the OSP is essentially saying is that persons who lack property or are poor people in this country cannot make bail in this country.”
He further revealed that the OSP was already aware that Mr. Adom-Otchere does not own any landed property, yet still imposed that specific requirement.
“The shocking fact is that while taking the profile of the suspect, the suspect indicated that he does not own any landed property, and so for the OSP to set two landed properties in his name, precedent for his bail condition, it is essentially concluding to hang him and detain him. We find the bail condition very unreasonable,” he stated.
Mr. Agyei assured that the defence team would pursue all legal options to secure his client’s release. “We will explore all legal avenues to ensure that Mr. Adom-Otchere is freed,” he added.
