The Herald editor granted bail after contempt conviction

Journalist and Editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Alans Dogbey, has been granted bail after an Accra High Court sentenced him to seven days' imprisonment for contempt of court over publications relating to an ongoing legal dispute involving businessman Kevin Okyere and Swiss commodities trading firm Petraco SA.

Justice Isaac Addo convicted Dogbey on Thursday, June 25, 2026, after finding that he had deliberately violated a court order restraining him from publishing further reports on the matter while the case remained before the court.

According to a myjoyonline.com report on June 26, 2026, the contempt proceedings stemmed from articles published by The Herald concerning a petition filed by Petraco SA against Kevin Okyere, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Springfield Exploration and Production Limited (SEP).

The court, contended that Dogbey breached an interlocutory injunction issued on June 11, 2025, which expressly barred any further publications on the case pending its final determination.

During proceedings, Dogbey argued under cross-examination that he had not been served with the injunction and was therefore unaware of the order prohibiting further publication.

The court rejected the explanation, ruling that the editor had acted in deliberate defiance of its authority.

"Despite this clear and unambiguous judicial directive, the Respondent willfully, contumaciously, and in flagrant disregard of the authority of this Court proceeded to breach the said Order of 11th June, 2025," Justice Addo stated in his ruling.

The judge noted that the High Court's authority to punish contempt is derived from Article 126(2) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 50 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004.

Following the conviction, the court directed that a Warrant of Committal be issued to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, or officers acting on his behalf, to enforce the seven-day custodial sentence.

Dogbey has, however, since been granted bail pending further legal proceedings.