CHRAJ petitioned to investigate human rights abuse in Afoko case

Afoko [L] and the AG Gloria Akuffo[/caption]Human rights group, Amnesty International has lodged a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate allegations of human rights abuse of murder suspect Gregory Afoko, who is currently standing trial. The group wants  a full-scale investigation into circumstances that compelled the Ghana Police Service to refuse to enforce the bail granted Gregory Afoko by an Accra High Court. The court had earlier in March 2019 granted Afoko bail to the tune of GHc500,000 but the state ignored the court’s ruling and continued to hold the suspect in custody for about three months. On Monday, the Accra High Court subsequently indicated that it had quashed the bail granted Mr. Afoko by another High Court. Amnesty International in a statement said CHRAJ’s investigation should also encapsulate recommendations on the compensation due to Mr. Afoko, and measures to prevent a similar occurrence in the future. “As much as we are surprised and shocked with the recent decision of the Court to rescind the decision of the earlier court and the turn of events, we want to call on the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to institute a full scale investigation into circumstances that led to Mr. Gregory Afoko’s inability to enjoy his bail granted by the High Court from the day the bail was granted and to the day a new court rescinded the decision of the earlier court and also make such determination whether his Rights to bail has been violated and make such recommendations as to the compensations appropriate to such violations and measures to prevent such occurrences in future”, a statement from the group specified. The group had earlier described the development as a mockery of the legal system which undermines justice delivery in the country. Read:Overturning Afoko’s bail mockery to legal system – Amnesty  International Background  The court had earlier in March 2019 granted the suspect bail to the tune of GHc500,000 but the state ignored the court’s ruling and continued to hold the suspect in custody for about three months. The new decision of the court follows an application made by the Attorney General represented in court by Chief State Attorney, Marina Appiah Opare on Monday. According to madam Appiah Opare, Mr. Afoko will not show up for trial if the court does not rescind the bail granted him over three months ago by a different High Court judge. By 3news.com|Ghana]]>