Private legal practitioner Oliver Barker-Vormawor has criticised Ghana's justice system in light of Funny Face's case and the court's decision to remand him into prison.

Barker-Vormawor expressed difficulty in understanding why the embattled comedian was denied bail and detained in prison while awaiting trial.

He argued that, as a recognisable public figure, Funny Face should have been granted bail with the obligation to report to the police as required.

In a Twitter post, the prominent activist questioned why Funny Face remains incarcerated, labelling the refusal to grant him bail as unfair and ridiculous.

“The fact that Funny Face is still in prison cells just shows you how ridiculous our criminal justice system is. The only reason why a judge should deny a person bail is when there is genuine uncertainty that they will not show up to stand trial.

Funny Face is a recognisable person in this country. He is not a flight risk. There is absolutely no reason why he won’t show up to stand trial.

“Why do we keep using bail as a punishment? The person is already being tried. So, the purpose of the remand is what kraa? Sometimes, I wonder what really is the interest of judges. So detached from any human empathy or even respect for the sanctity of constitutional rights. Why do I even bother? Honestly!!” he wrote in a post.

Funny Face was remanded into police custody for two weeks by the Ofaakor Circuit Court after he was hit with charges of drunk and careless driving.

Background

On Sunday, March 24, 2024, a vehicle associated with the comedian was involved in a near-fatal accident at Kasoa, Kakraba junction in the Central Region, nearly causing harm to five individuals, including a mother and two children.

According to a comprehensive report by UTV's Central Regional correspondent, eyewitnesses attributed the tragic incident to factors such as drunk driving and excessive speed.

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