Lawyers representing former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, have announced plans to file an appeal at the High Court in Koforidua following a decision by a Circuit Court in Akropong to remand him into police custody.
The legal team says the appeal will challenge the court’s ruling after a bench warrant was issued against Blay over allegations of unlawful damage to property.
Speaking on Joy FM’s News Night programme on Monday, March 16, Blay’s lawyer disclosed that steps are already underway to contest the decision.
According to him, the team is optimistic that the High Court will grant a short stay once the appeal is filed.
He explained that Blay only became aware of the bench warrant after it was brought to his attention that the Circuit Court in Akropong had issued the order in relation to the alleged offence.
The lawyer noted that the development surprised his client because he had not been served with any summons notifying him of the court proceedings.
He said Blay immediately consulted him after learning about the warrant and instructed that appropriate legal steps be taken.
The defence argued that issuing a bench warrant without first serving the accused with a summons is procedurally improper.
According to the lawyer, the defence team presented evidence in court to demonstrate that Mr. Blay had not received any summons.
He added that during the court proceedings, lawyers representing the Attorney-General acknowledged that the summons had indeed not been served on Blay.
Despite that admission, the court proceeded to remand the former NPP chairman into custody for three weeks, with the next hearing scheduled for April 9.
Blay has been charged with conspiracy to commit unlawful damage to property under Section 171B of the Criminal and Other Offences Act.
Providing background to the case, the lawyer explained that the dispute centres on a parcel of land Mr. Blay purchased in 1994, which is also being claimed by another party.
He indicated that a court-ordered survey produced a composite plan showing that the two parcels of land are distinct and not the same.
According to him, the survey confirmed that the site plan submitted by Mr. Blay corresponds with the actual land.
However, the court ruled in favour of the opposing party, a decision the defence team has already appealed while also filing an application for a stay of execution.
The lawyer further rejected allegations that Mr. Blay demolished a two-storey building on the disputed land, insisting that no such structure existed on the property.
Meanwhile, a senior aide to the former NPP chairman, Benjamin Ansah, says Blay is holding up well despite the circumstances.
Speaking on the same programme on JoyNews, Ansah said the situation has come as a shock to the family but noted that they are coping.
He explained that the charge sheet accuses Blay of destroying the complainant’s private property, which forms the basis of the case.
However, he maintained that the allegation of unlawful damage to property is untrue.
