Kpebu slams Miracles Aboagye's GH¢50m bail, says he wouldn't

Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner, has expressed concern over the stringent bail conditions imposed on Dennis Miracles Aboagye, who was arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) upon his arrival at the Kotoka International Airport.

Mr Aboagye, a former aide to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, is facing investigations into alleged financial and procurement-related irregularities involving about GH¢55 million during his tenure as executive secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD).

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Kpebu said bail conditions should consider the circumstances of each individual, citing Mr Aboagye as someone who is unlikely to abscond. “We have to be sensible with the bail conditions for people because someone like Miracles will not run anywhere,” he said.

He questioned why Mr Aboagye, who travelled outside Ghana and returned, would suddenly attempt to flee the country. “Where will Miracles run to? If indeed he wanted to run away, he wouldn’t have come back to Ghana because he travelled outside,” he added.

Mr Kpebu also raised concerns about the requirement for sureties to provide registered properties, arguing that many properties in Ghana are not formally registered.

“If you take data from the Lands Commission, non-registered properties are more than the registered ones by more than a hundredfold. So if your bail system requires only registered properties, you will end up disturbing people,” he said.

He suggested that authorities adopt a more flexible approach by allowing other forms of property verification while giving suspects time to regularise documentation.

The legal practitioner also questioned the requirement for “justification” of sureties, arguing that it creates unnecessary delays.

Using that word ‘justification’ is not good at all,” he said. His comments follow concerns raised by the legal team of Mr Aboagye that their client has been unable to meet the bail conditions imposed by EOCO, which include a GH¢50 million bail bond and the requirement for three sureties, two of whom must be justified.

The bail conditions imposed on Mr Aboagye have sparked debate about the fairness of the country’s bail system. While the authorities may argue that the conditions are necessary to ensure the suspect does not flee, Mr Kpebu’s comments highlight the need for a more practical approach.

As the case against Mr Aboagye continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether the authorities will reconsider the bail conditions or whether Mr Aboagye will be able to meet the requirements to secure his release.

Source: JOY