BBC

News

Sports

Business

Entertainment

GhanaWeb TV

Africa

Opinions

Country

Next tin wey fit happun to Donald Trump wen dem arrest am

Trump FREEE Former US president Donald Trump

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 Source: BBC

Donald Trump dey face impending arrest on charges wey come from investigation into $130,000 (£106,000) payment to one porn star Stormy Daniels for 2016.

Afta one grand jury for New York vote on Thursday to indict am, e go be di first US president to face criminal charges.

Even though dem neva disclose di actual charges, dis na some key questions on di issue wey dey at play for dis case.

Wetin dem accuse Trump of?

For 2016, adult film star Stormy Daniels contact media outlets and offer to sell her account of wetin she tok say na adulterous affairs wey she get wit Donald Trump for 2006.

Oga Trump team hear about am and im lawyer Michael Cohen pay $130,000 to Ms Daniels to keep quiet, and dis kind payment na hush moni dem dey call am.

Dis no dey illegal. However, wen Oga Trump pay back di moni to Cohen, di record for di payment tok say na for legal fees. Prosecutors say dis mean say Oga Trump falsify business records, and dis na misdemeanour - criminal offence - for New York.

Prosecutors fit also allege say dis kain tin break election law, sake of say im attempt to hide im payments to Ms Daniels dey motivated by not wanting voters to know say im get affair wit am. Covering up a crime by falsifying records go be felony, wey be more serious charge.

Even advocates for prosecution acknowledge say either way, dis no be clear-cut case. Little precedent for such prosecution dey, and past attempts to charge politicians wit crossing di line between campaign finance and personal spending bin don end in failure.

"E go dey tough," Catherine Christian tok. She be formal financial prosecutor for di New York City district attorney.

Why dem indict Trump

Di decision on weda to file charges rest wit New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Im set up di grand jury to investigate weda enof evidence dey to pursue prosecution, and na im be di only pesin wey know wen dem go vote on indictment.

On Thursday afternoon, di grand jury reportedly decide say dem go bring charges. But at di moment, wetin we no know wetin dose charges be. Oga Bragg go inform Oga Trump and im lawyers, and dis go set off negotiations ova how and wen di former president go appear for New York City for im formal arrest and first hearing for court.

Di document wey present di official charges against Oga Trump go dey public until judge read out di charges against am.

Sake of di historic nature of such move, and di security concern wey dey involved, di details of Oga Trump New York appearance dey uncertain.

Oga Trump lawyers don indicate say di former president go cooperate wit di New York authorities, so dem no go put out warrant for im arrest.

Oga Trump get im own personal jet, so im fit fly into one of di several New York area airports and den make di journey to di lower Manhattan courthouse by car.

Wen dem arrest Trump, dem go take im fingerprints?

As part of doz negotiations wit prosecutors, di court fit also agree to grant private entrace to di court, instead of di more typical "perp walk" for front of di assembled media.

Once im don enta inside, Trump go dey fingerprinted and dem go take im mug shot like all defendants wey dey face criminal cases. Dem go read im "Miranda" rights for am and also remind am of im constitutionally-protected right to lawyer and to refuse to tok to police.

Typically, dem dey temporarily handcuff defendants wey dem charge wit felony, although Oga Trump lawyers go try avoid dat for dia client.

Throughout di booking process, Secret Service agents go accompany am.

Oga Trump go den wait for holding area or cell until im appearance bifor one judge. Dem go open di arraignment to di public di moment di defendant enta im plea before di judge.

Once di case don dey booked and dem don select judge, oda details go fall into place, such as di timing of di trial and possible travel restrictions and bail requirements for di defendant.

Conviction on misdemeanour go result in fine. If Oga Trump get conviction on di felony charge, im go face maximum sentence of four years for prison, although some legal experts predict say fine dey more possible, and add say to spend time for prison dey highly unlikely.

E fit still run for president?

Indictment or even criminal conviction no go stop Oga Trump from continuing im presidential campaign if im choose. And im don give evri indication say e go continue to push ahead regardless of wetin happun.

In fact, notin dey US law wey prevent candidate wey dem find guilty of crime from campaigning for, and serving as president - even from prison.

Oga Trump arrest go certaily complicate im presidential campaign.

While e fit cause some Republican voters to rally around dia embattled champion, e fit get significant distraction for one candidate on di campaign trail, trying to stump for votes and participate in debates.

E go also deepen and enflame already sharp divides within di American political system.

Conservatives believe say dem dey hold di former president to a different standard of justice, while liberals view dis as issue of holding law-breakers including dose for highest position in power accountable.

Source: BBC