Political activist and lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor has reacted to the conviction and sentencing of Herald newspaper editor Larry Dogbey, questioning the circumstances surrounding the case.
In a social media post, Barker-Vormawor said the publication at the centre of the case was reportedly based on a true story concerning Kevin Okyere’s alleged arrest and detention in Dubai.
“Larry Dogbe of the Herald has been sentenced to 7 days in Court for publishing news of Kevin Okyere’s arrest and detention in Dubai,” he wrote.
“The news was not false. The news is true. Yet he has been jailed.”
Barker-Vormawor further suggested that the journalist may have been subject to a court order restricting publication of information related to the matter.
“Apparently the journalist was under a gag order not to publish any news whatsoever about this person, if true?” he stated.
“I didn’t even know something like that was possible.”
He also referenced a previous court injunction that blocked publication of details relating to the National Service scandal.
The comments follow the conviction of Larry Dogbey by an Accra High Court. The Herald editor disclosed in a Facebook post on June 25 that Justice Isaac Addo had sentenced him to seven days in prison.
According to Dogbey, The Herald’s publication was based on a petition allegedly submitted by Petraco SA to institutions including the CID, EOCO, GIPC and the Attorney-General’s Department.
