 regional chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC.){kind=link}
The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of using the judiciary as a political weapon to silence critics, following the arrest and remand of ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) regional chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC.
Baffoe, the Bono Regional Chairman of the NPP, was arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday on charges of “offensive conduct conducive to a breach of the peace.” He was denied bail and remanded into custody until September 12.
In a strongly worded statement, the Minority Caucus described the charges as “vague and overly broad,” arguing that they do not meet international legal standards.
“The circumstances surrounding Abronye DC’s arrest and detention reveal a disturbing pattern: the government is increasingly weaponising the judicial system against perceived opponents,” the statement read.
The Caucus further linked the arrest to Abronye’s reported attempts to seek asylum in eight countries, citing alleged threats to his life.
The Minority warned of a broader clampdown on dissent, pointing to what it described as harassment of journalists, social commentators, and critics of the government.
“A climate of fear where ordinary people hesitate to exercise their constitutional right to free expression has taken hold,” the lawmakers cautioned.
They also criticised the government’s handling of communal violence in northern Ghana, which has left at least 31 people dead and displaced nearly 50,000 people, more than 13,000 of whom have reportedly crossed into neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. The situation, the Caucus said, constitutes “a regional humanitarian emergency that shames our nation.”
Alleged Threats Against Opposition Leaders
In a separate claim, the Minority alleged that senior opposition figures, including Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, had received threats and faced assassination plots, yet state security agencies had failed to provide adequate protection.
“The Ghana Police Service must rise above partisanship … and guarantee protection for all political actors, regardless of affiliation,” the statement added.