Oliver Barker-Vormawor was arrested in 2022 and charged with treason felony after he made a Facebook post that was considered inciteful by the state.
The state denied him bail after his arrest and kept him in custody for a long time, drawing criticism from many.
Since 2022, he has been going to court. He even filed a process in court, and the court granted him access to his passport to travel out of the country.
He returned and has been attending court. From the evidence available, he has not shown any intention of running away or violating his bail conditions, as far as this case is concerned.
Then, in 2024, the state arrested him and 52 others for participating in a protest, blocking a road, and causing a nuisance. The state has refused all of them bail.
What legal or common sense argument supports Oliver Barker-Vormawor's detention, when the case is yet to be determined?
Is the state saying he did not run away after being charged with treason but will run away after being arrested after skirmishes during a protest?
Is this what convinced the judge?
What individual assessments were made before the judge ordered that ALL THE PROTESTORS ARRESTED should be dumped in custody?
Are all of them flight risks? Or would they tamper with evidence and impede investigation as the police often claim? And what evidence is there to tamper with when the roadblocks were removed even before they were arrested?
Get it: the argument is not about whether they acted right or wrong. That will be determined during the prosecution. That's why they have been arrested and charged.
The argument is that our laws allow persons accused of murder to be granted bail, thanks to Martin Kpebu. Our laws also say that all these 53 protesters who have been arrested and detained are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
So, until after the trial, they are presumed to be innocent. Why, then, are they in custody?
And those of you supporting their detention, would you have supported it if they were in your political party or if they were your brothers or sisters or children?
Answer to your conscience.