The President of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), David Tamakloe, has explained that the 10-day bail granted to journalist Larry Dogbey is conditional on him filing a substantive appeal, failing which he will return to prison.
According to Mr. Tamakloe, the bail was secured after Mr. Dogbey’s lawyers filed an urgent ex parte application to temporarily suspend the execution of the contempt sentence while pursuing an appeal.
“The bail is to take effect for just 10 days. If after the 10 days he does not return to the court with a proper notice, then he goes back into custody, because this was filed ex parte. He needs to file an appeal on notice,” he said in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM.
He added that once the formal appeal is filed and served on all parties, both sides will have the opportunity to argue the case before the court makes a final decision.
“That appeal will then be argued by both parties, after which a final decision will be taken on the contempt appeal,” he explained.
Mr. Dogbey was sentenced to 10 days in prison by the Accra High Court on Thursday, June 25, after being found guilty of contempt of court.
The case stemmed from publications by The Herald newspaper regarding a legal dispute between businessman Kevin Okyere of Springfield Exploration and Production Limited and Petraco SA.
The court, presided over by Justice Isaac Addo, held that Dogbey had violated an interlocutory injunction restraining further publications on the matter, despite his argument that he had not been served with the order.
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