The Accra High Court has refused an application for bail filed on behalf of Salomey Awiti Bafoh, the nurse standing trial in connection with the controversial “Ghana Jollof” social media case.
The ruling was delivered virtually on Thursday, September 24, 2026, with the court holding that a ground contemplated under Section 96(5)(b) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30) had been established.
The provision allows a court to refuse bail where it is satisfied that an accused person may interfere with witnesses or evidence, or otherwise hamper police investigations.
In its ruling, the High Court found that granting bail to Ms Bafoh would create a real risk of interference with ongoing investigations. The court therefore declined the application and ordered the State to expedite its investigations.
The court also directed the State to ensure that Ms Bafoh receives prompt medical attention while she remains in custody.
Despite refusing bail, the judge stressed that nothing in the ruling should be interpreted as a finding of guilt against Ms Bafoh. The court emphasised that she remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Ms Bafoh, a senior nursing officer, is facing a charge of abetment of crime, namely the publication of false news, in connection with content allegedly circulated through the “Ghana Jollof” TikTok account operated by Barbara Asantewaa Kodua, who is also known as “Ghana Jollof”.
The prosecution alleges that Ms Bafoh acted as a liaison for Ms Kodua and assisted in the dissemination of videos by recruiting other persons to redistribute the content on social media platforms. Ms Kodua is currently outside the jurisdiction and has been declared wanted by the Police.
Ms Bafoh has pleaded not guilty to the charge and was previously remanded by the Adentan Circuit Court for two weeks while investigations continue. Her lawyers subsequently approached the High Court seeking her release on bail.
EOCO incident
The bail ruling comes a day after tense scenes at the Accra High Court involving Ms Bafoh’s lead counsel, Manhyia South MP and private legal practitioner Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah.
On Wednesday, September 23, an EOCO official approached Mr Awuah at the court premises shortly after he had appeared for Ms Bafoh during proceedings on her bail application.
The encounter escalated into a confrontation as the MP resisted attempts to take him into custody and subsequently drove away from the court premises.
EOCO later confirmed that its officers had attempted to arrest Mr Awuah, explaining that he had previously been invited on two occasions in February 2026 to assist with an ongoing investigation. The Office said the attempted arrest was part of steps taken to secure his attendance in accordance with the law.
Mr Awuah, however, gave a different account, saying the woman who approached him failed to adequately establish her identity as an EOCO officer and did not produce an arrest warrant when he requested one. His lawyers have also disputed EOCO’s account of the February invitations, saying the correspondence was addressed to him in his capacity as Senior Partner of Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners and concerned an investigation involving one of the firm’s clients.
The incident occurred shortly after the High Court had adjourned Ms Bafoh’s bail application from Wednesday to Thursday to allow the State additional time to file its response.
The next adjourned date for the substantive case against Ms Bafoh is on September 30, 2026, at the Adenta Circuit Court.