Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has challenged the need to keep senior nursing officer Salomey Awity Baffoe in custody for two weeks, arguing that investigators can examine evidence on her phone without detaining her.
Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM, Mr. Kpebu said he saw no compelling reason for the Adenta Circuit Court 1 to remand Baffoe while police investigate her alleged connection to the Ghana Jollof TikTok account.
The court remanded Baffoe for two weeks as investigations continue into the case.
Mr. Kpebu said if the police suspect that material linked to the account was shared through Baffoe’s phone, they could seize the device and obtain the necessary authorisation to examine it.
“Based on my experience as a lawyer, from what I read, I don’t think this woman should be in custody. I don’t think so,” he said.
He maintained that keeping Baffoe behind bars does not necessarily assist investigators in examining the alleged evidence.
“The phone is seized. Then police will come back for an order to go and search the phone, etc. But not the person in custody,” he stated.
According to Kpebu, the content under investigation has already been published, meaning investigators can focus on the available digital evidence rather than detaining Baffoe.
“Her phones are what you need. You don’t need a person in custody,” he said.
He acknowledged that there are circumstances in which remand may be necessary, particularly where a suspect poses a potential threat or where there is direct evidence connecting them to a serious offence.
He cited investigations involving major drug seizures or allegations that a suspect physically harmed another person as examples where detention could serve a clearer investigative purpose.
“But this particular type, so I’m talking based on experience, the way we differentiate the cases,” he said.
Kpebu stressed that his objection was not to the police continuing their investigations, but to the decision to keep Baffoe in custody while those investigations are ongoing.
“By all means, police should investigate, but I don’t think remand was necessary,” he said.
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