Hunger strike, other actions taken by Barker-Vormawor to protest poor condition in police cell

The Convener for the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has opened up about why he led a protest in a police cell following his recent arrest during a demonstration organized by the Democracy Hub group against illegal mining, commonly known as "galamsey."

Barker-Vormawor, a lawyer and PhD Research Student at the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, disclosed in an interview with Bola Ray on Starr FM on Thursday, October 24, monitored by GhanaWeb, that he led a hunger strike by the inmates to protest poor cell conditions, which he described as making life very uncomfortable for detainees.

"When I was in the cell, I stayed throughout the period. Before I left, we were considering how to draw attention to the issues people face in the cell. We decided to hold a hunger strike that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A letter was sent to the police hierarchy, and the media was informed about what was happening. So the police hierarchy rushed in that Friday, inviting me to leave because my bail had been granted. But I told them I would leave on Monday. They kept trying to process my bail quickly, but I insisted on staying with the individuals there," he explained.

He continued, "On Friday, they wanted to see if the hunger strike would hold. The strike was in solidarity with everyone, both those who had support from family and those who didn't. When families brought food, inmates told them to take it back. On Saturday morning, the police took one of the inmates to Nsawam Prison."

Barker-Vormawor noted how uncomfortable the police became with their action and how he and his colleagues were prepared for possible repercussions.

"We discussed that the police might try to break up the hunger strike by moving people to different cells, so we were prepared. When they took one of us, we lined up and clapped as they led him out, singing gospel songs for about 30 minutes," he said.

Eventually, unable to contain him, the police forcibly removed him from the facility and transferred him to the Dansoman Police Station until his release on October 21, 2024.

The Accra High Court granted bail to Oliver Barker-Vormawor, one of the accused in the Democracy Hub street protest case. He has been charged with multiple offenses, including stealing a police car key, conspiracy, unlawful assembly, causing unlawful damage, offensive conduct likely to breach the peace, assault on a public officer, and defacement of public property.

Initially, bail was denied, but on Wednesday, October 16, he was granted bail set at GH₵20,000 with two sureties. He is required to report to the police twice a week.

KA

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