Key Points
- Louisa Buabeng, independent candidate, remanded over conspiracy charges.
- Her legal team claims no formal complaint was filed.
- Buabeng plans to seek an injunction to halt the election.
On Thursday, the High Court in Winneba remanded Louisa Buabeng, an independent parliamentary candidate for the Effutu Constituency, on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime.
Buabeng, who is running in the December 7 elections, was arrested on November 20 after voter ID cards were allegedly found at the residence of her aide. The court’s decision to remand her followed a brief appearance on Thursday morning, where she was charged in connection to the discovery.
A statement from ChannelOne TV confirmed Buabeng’s rearrest on Wednesday evening, following an initial detainment. She has been remanded for four days and is scheduled to reappear before the court on Monday, December 1.
Her aide has also been charged with unlawful possession of documents.
The development has sparked controversy, particularly within political circles. Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Effutu and Buabeng’s main rival in the race, was reportedly present at the court proceedings. Afenyo-Markin, who is seeking re-election, is believed to be behind the complaint against Buabeng.
Arrest details
Louisa Buabeng’s legal counsel, Jennifred Adjei, provided details about the arrest, which occurred shortly after Buabeng left the courtroom on November 20. Adjei said armed police officers surrounded the premises to detain her, although she was unaware of the action until exiting the court.
According to Adjei, the police initially did not disclose the reason for the arrest but later cited fraud charges. The arrest was based on a “suspicious petition,” which alleged that Buabeng had forged signatures on her nomination forms.
Adjei, however, expressed concerns over the lack of an official complainant. She stated that the police’s actions were based on the petition, which accused Buabeng of fraud without presenting any concrete evidence. Furthermore, the Electoral Commission had already vetted and accepted Buabeng’s nomination documents.
“We’ve been told there’s no complainant,” Adjei said. “The police are acting on a petition from an unknown source, claiming my client forged her nomination papers, but these papers were approved by the EC.”
Legal proceedings and allegations
According to a report by Ghana Web, Adjei also described the police’s treatment of Buabeng. The independent candidate was reportedly handcuffed and taken to her home, where authorities conducted a search, although they found nothing to implicate her.
“The petition was based on suspicion, with no proof of forgery,” Adjei said. “Despite that, my client was detained and subjected to unnecessary police actions.”
In a separate legal action, Buabeng is seeking an injunction on the December 7 parliamentary elections, claiming that the Electoral Commission leaked her nomination documents to the public.
