The Accra High Court has adjourned the hearing of a bail application filed by the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC), to Thursday, May 21, after the prosecution requested additional time to respond.

The adjournment followed arguments from both the prosecution and defence during proceedings on Wednesday, May 20, with state attorneys indicating the need to consult investigators before filing their response to the motion.

Abronye, who is facing charges of offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace and publication of false news, was represented in court by his lawyers led by former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame.

The defence team had returned to court to seek bail after an earlier application was denied by the Accra Circuit Court, which remanded the accused into custody on May 13.

Prosecutors, led by Assistant State Attorney Grace Delali Tali, requested a short adjournment, explaining that they needed time to fully engage investigators and prepare an appropriate response to the bail application.

However, defence counsel argued that the prosecution had been served with the motion since May 14 and should have been ready to respond, insisting that the accused’s rights, including concerns about his health, required urgent consideration.

“The request for adjournment is completely out of order… it is not in dispute that the rights and liberties of the accused person are in issue,” the defence argued in court.

The prosecution countered that while the motion was served earlier, they required time to properly familiarise themselves with the case file before responding adequately.

After hearing submissions from both sides, presiding judge Justice Halima El-Alawa Abdul-Basit directed the prosecution to file their response by close of day to ensure a balance between justice and the rights of the accused.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter to Thursday, May 21, for the continuation of the bail hearing.