FixTheCountry convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has exercised his rights under Ghana’s laws to refuse to indicate whether he is guilty or not guilty in the fresh Treason Felony charges levelled against him.
Section 238 of Ghana’s Criminal and other offences (Procedure) ACT, 1950 (ACT 30) permits an accused to refuse to plead to a charge against him.
“Where an accused person who is arraigned on or charged with an indictment stands mute of malice or neither will nor by reason of infirmity can answer directly to the indictment, the court may cause a plea of ‘not guilty’ to be entered on behalf of the accused.
A plea of “not guilty entered on behalf of the accused shall have the same effect as if the accused had so pleaded or else the court shall proceed to try the accused…”
The court, therefore, entered a “not guilty” plea in its records.
The youth activist is accused of plotting to overthrow government and was previously arraigned on the charge of Treason Felony.
His lawyers got the court to agree there were legal challenges with the processes filed against him. The AG as a result filed fresh charges. The new charges were read to the youth activist on Thursday.
“I want to exercise my rights to refuse to plead under section 238,” Mr Barker-Vormawor told the court.
The court entered a “not guilty” plea and adjourned proceedings to June 7.