“Don’t Punish People Through Bail” — Haruna Iddrisu Defends Presumption of Innocence

Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, has criticised what he describes as growing abuses of power by some state institutions in the handling of bail for accused persons.

Speaking at the funeral rites of Dr Mahama Sayibu on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the senior National Democratic Congress lawmaker accused the Ghana Police Service, the courts, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office of using bail as a punitive tool rather than a legal safeguard.

“In Ghana today, we have seen excesses; excesses from the Police, excesses from the Court, excesses from EOCO denying persons bail, and using bail as punishment for accused persons. That is not law,” he said.

Mr Iddrisu stressed that it is a settled legal principle that accused persons should not be arbitrarily denied bail or subjected to excessively harsh conditions, adding that such practices contradict Ghana’s constitutional and statutory provisions.

Under Section 96(3) and (4) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), bail conditions must be determined based on the circumstances of each case and should not be excessive or punitive. Article 19(2)(c) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution also guarantees the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

He reiterated that these principles must be reflected in practice.

“Don’t deny an accused person bail or ask an accused person to pay excessively as a punishment,” he urged. “Every person is presumed innocent until after a fair trial.”

The Education Minister further called for reforms within the justice system and urged institutions involved in criminal investigations and prosecution to exercise fairness and restraint when imposing bail conditions.

“I expect that in Ghana today we must end the high-handedness and excessiveness in matters relating to bail and its denial and its charges,” he stated.

His remarks come amid increasing public debate over bail practices in Ghana, with legal analysts and civil society groups raising concerns about restrictive conditions that effectively keep accused persons in detention despite being granted bail.

The comments also follow similar concerns previously raised by Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who has advocated reforms to address perceived abuses in Ghana’s remand and bail system.