The President of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), David Tamakloe, has clarified that Larry Dogbey’s 10-day bail is conditional on the filing of a substantive appeal, failing which the journalist will return to custody.
He disclosed that the bail was granted after lawyers representing Larry Dogbey swiftly filed an ex parte application seeking to suspend the execution of the sentence while an appeal is pursued.
David Tamakloe revealed this in an interview on Eyewitness News on Friday, June 26.
According to him, the court’s decision grants Larry Dogbey temporary relief for only 10 days, within which period his lawyers must formally file the substantive appeal and serve notice on all parties involved.
Mr Tamakloe said once the appeal on notice is filed, both sides will be given the opportunity to argue the case before the court determines whether the contempt conviction and sentence should stand.
“The bail is to take effect for just 10 days. If after the 10 days he does not return to the court with a proper notice, then he goes back into custody, because this was filed ex parte. He needs to file an appeal on notice. That appeal will then be argued by both parties, after which a final decision will be taken on the contempt appeal,” he explained.
Mr Dogbey was sentenced on Thursday, June 25, by an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Isaac Addo after he was found guilty of contempt over publications relating to a legal dispute between businessman Kevin Okyere, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Springfield Exploration and Production Limited (SEP), and Petraco SA.
The contempt proceedings arose from articles published by The Herald concerning a petition filed by Petraco SA against Mr Okyere. The court held that Mr Dogbey had breached an interlocutory injunction restraining him from publishing further reports on the matter.
Although Mr Dogbey argued during cross-examination that he had not been served with the court’s order prohibiting further publication, Justice Isaac Addo rejected the explanation and ordered the immediate execution of the custodial sentence through a warrant of committal issued to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service.
