Accra: The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has condemned the arrest and remand of the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, describing the development as troubling and a potential threat to free speech.
According to Ghana Web, Afenyo-Markin expressed his concerns in a Facebook post shared on May 13, 2026. He argued that the situation raises serious questions about the use of state institutions to potentially silence political voices. Afenyo-Markin stated, "What has been done to Kwame Baffoe, Abronye DC, Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, is a profound constitutional wrong and must be condemned without equivocation."
He further elaborated that the arrest, prosecution, and remand of Abronye for statements made in public constitutes a misuse of criminal law against political opinion. "It represents a reckless and deliberate misuse of the prosecutorial resources of this Republic," Afenyo-Markin emphasized in his post.
Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the importance of law enforcement but insisted it must be balanced with constitutional protections. He highlighted that while irresponsible speech should not be condoned, Ghanaian law provides civil remedies for reputational damage, which are proportionate and designed for such purposes.
He criticized the conversion of a civil grievance into a criminal prosecution, leading to Abronye's appearance before a Circuit Court, denial of bail, and consignment to state intelligence custody. "That is not justice. That is persecution," he asserted.
The Minority Leader called for strict adherence to due process and urged the courts to remain independent and free from political influence. He demanded Abronye's immediate release from the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) custody, stating, "Abronye DC must be released from BNI custody immediately. His detention is constitutionally indefensible."
Abronye has been remanded for two weeks by the BNI in relation to the publication of a video online in which he allegedly made derogatory remarks about a Circuit Court judge.