Bafoh pleaded not guilty at the Adentan Circuit Court to abetment of crime, specifically the alleged publication of false news, and was remanded for two weeks on Thursday, September 17. The High Court subsequently refused her bail application on Thursday, September 24. Her lawyers had sought her release, but the court sided with the prosecution, which argued she was still needed to support investigations. The court also directed the state to speed up its investigations.
The prosecution alleges that Bafoh helped Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, a UK-based individual believed to be behind the Ghana Jollof TikTok account, recruit people to share Ghana Jollof videos online. They also claim that money moved between the two women. Bafoh's lawyers, including Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah and Enoch Afoakwa, argued that she was presumed innocent and that the charge against her was a misdemeanour.
Bafoh's defence team pointed to her responsibilities as a mother, noting that one of her children was preparing to start senior high school. They also questioned the evidence behind the court's concerns and said they planned to challenge the ruling, including through an appeal. Enoch Afoakwa expressed deep disappointment over the delay, arguing that the court should have known about the judges' conference when it fixed Wednesday's hearing date.
Afoakwa described the situation as "very sad," lamenting that Bafoh's three children, aged four, nine, and 15, would not be able to see their mother until the court sits again on Monday. Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia had called for Bafoh's release in a Facebook post on Friday, September 18, 2026, describing the circumstances of her midnight arrest and remand as worrying.
Bawumia raised concerns about free speech in Ghana, accusing the government of applying the law selectively and urging the release of others facing similar charges. The police had declared Barbara Kodua wanted in connection with the Ghana Jollof account. Bafoh's case has garnered significant attention, with many expressing concern about her detention and the implications for free speech.
The case has been adjourned to October 5, 2026, and Bafoh will remain in custody until then. Her detention has sparked a wider conversation about the balance between national security and individual freedoms in Ghana. The court's decision to adjourn the case has been met with disappointment from Bafoh's lawyers and supporters.
Key points
- The Accra High Court adjourned Salomey Bafoh's case to October 5, 2026, due to the Association of Judges and Magistrates Conference.
- Bafoh's lawyers argued that she was presumed innocent and that the charge against her was a misdemeanour.
- Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia called for Bafoh's release, raising concerns about free speech in Ghana.
