As 2022 comes to an end, we take a look at some popular Ghanaians who unfortunately found themselves in the grips of state security officials for breaching the law.
The list includes persons in the spheres of journalism, politics, religion, and the entertainment and arts, some of whom had a brush with the law on more than one occasion within the year.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor
Convener of #FixTheCountry Movement Oliver Mawusi Barker-Vormawor was arrested on February 11, 2022, at the Kotoka International Airport and subsequently detained for some 34 days before a Tema High Court granted him bail.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor's arrest on account of the Ghana Police Service was about a Facebook post in which he had threatened to "do the coup" himself if the Electronic Transfer Levy Bill was passed into law.
Charged with treason felony, a district court after holding a committal proceeding forwarded his case to an Accra High Court for hearing.
Even before the case is included, the activist again was arrested on May 17, 2022.
In a Facebook post, the embattled activist indicated that he had been charged with “careless and inconsiderate driving.”
According to the police, the activist failed to comply with road markings while driving on a public road.
The two cases against the activist are yet to be determined.
Captain Smart
Morning show host of Onua TV/FM, a subsidiary of Media General Blessed Godsbrain Smart, popularly known as Captain Smart, was picked up by operatives of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) in the month of October.
The media personality was picked up late Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
His arrest was later determined to be in connection with comments he made against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Before his arrest, the Ministry of Information earlier accused the journalist of impugning the character of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The statement was on the back of a broadcast by Captain Smart on October 17, 2022, in which he accused the president of being actively involved in illegal mining also known as galamsey activities.
Describing the claims by Captain Smart as false and malicious, the ministry further accused the journalist of engaging in unethical and irresponsible journalism.
The government in the statement said it was referring the matter to the National Media Commission for review and adjudication.
Despite the statement by government in which a threat of legal action was issued, Captain Smart in a subsequent edition of his programme reiterated his allegations against the president.
According to him, the allegation was on the basis of some of the government’s actions and inactions relative to the fight against illegal mining.
Meanwhile no official charges were pressed against the journalist.
Nana Agradaa
The founder and leader of Heavenway Champion International Ministries, Evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng alias Nana Agradaa was arrested by the police on October 9, 2022, and pressed with fraud charges.
Her arrest followed multiple reports that the former fetish priestess had defrauded her own church members in a supposed money-doubling scheme.
The number of victims who have since come forward has seen cases filed against her in at least three different courts.
She is facing charges of charlatanic advertisement and defrauding by false pretenses in all the cases.
Francis Xavier Sosu
The Member of Parliament for Madina Constituency, Francis Xavier Sosu was arrested on Thursday, November 3, 2022, after he was seen driving in the middle of the road around the Airport by-pass in his V8 vehicle with no regard for law-abiding pedestrians and other road users.
The vehicle was impounded by the Police, and he was arraigned before the La District Court on November 4, 2022, on the charges of reckless and inconsiderate driving, driving in the middle of the road facing oncoming traffic and causing danger to other road users.
A statement from the Police said he was convicted by the court and fined an amount of GH¢2,400.
GA/WA
Some of these personalities were arrested