The Circuit Court in Dansoman, presided over by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Bassit, has discharged Hopeson Yaovi Adorye after the prosecution failed to pursue the case against him to its logical conclusion.
The court held that the case, which had been pending since May 2024, had suffered several adjournments at the instance of the prosecution despite advice sought from the Attorney-General’s Department.
According to the presiding judge, the accused person’s plea was first taken on May 23, 2024, after which the case was forwarded to the A-G’s office for guidance.
However, the matter saw no substantive progress and was repeatedly adjourned on June 26, July 31, October 9, November 28, 2024, and February 3, July 31, and October 15, 2025.
“In the circumstances, the case is struck out for want of prosecution, and the accused is accordingly discharged,” the court ruled.
Mr. Adorye, a former member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) who has since joined the Movement for Change, was facing a charge of publication of false news, contrary to section 208(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
He was accused of making statements in a viral video suggesting that he had engaged five individuals from the Volta Region to throw “dynamites” along the Ghana–Togo border to scare off people attempting to cross over to vote in the 2016 general elections.
The police said the comments were made during an interview on Accra FM’s “Citizen Show”, hosted by Nana Otu Darko.
Mr. Adorye, however, admitted in his caution statement that his comments were exaggerated, clarifying that “fire crackers” — and not dynamite — were used.
He was granted a GH¢200,000 bail with two sureties, one to be justified, and ordered to report to the police weekly while the case was ongoing.
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