Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has criticised what he describes as the growing practice of imposing excessive bail conditions on accused persons, arguing that bail should not be used as a form of punishment before trial.
Speaking to party supporters in Tamale, the Minister expressed concern over what he termed increasing excesses by some law enforcement and state investigative institutions in the administration of bail.
According to him, the justice system must uphold the constitutional principle that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.
Mr. Iddrisu maintained that denying bail or setting excessively burdensome bail conditions undermines the right to a fair trial and contradicts the principles of justice and fairness enshrined in Ghana’s Constitution.
“In Ghana today, we have seen excesses. Excesses from the police. Excesses from the courts. Excesses from EOCO. Denying persons bail and using bail as punishment for the accused person. That is not the law,” he stated.
He further stressed that bail should not be denied or made financially unattainable as a means of penalising individuals who have not yet been convicted of any offence.
“It is trite knowledge and trite law that you don’t deny an accused person bail or ask an accused person to pay excessively as a punishment to the accused person if you uphold the right to a fair trial and uphold the right to innocence at trial, meaning every person is presumed innocent,” he added.
The Education Minister called for an end to what he described as high-handedness and excessive practices relating to bail administration, urging state institutions to adhere strictly to the principles of due process and the rule of law.
His comments come amid growing public debate over the treatment of some individuals arrested in recent weeks, particularly persons perceived to be affiliated with the opposition New Patriotic Party.
Mr. Iddrisu’s remarks add to the ongoing national discussion on balancing effective law enforcement with the protection of fundamental rights guaranteed under Ghana’s justice system.
