A police statement said he was arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on social media to the effect that he would stage a coup himself if the E-Levy Bill is passed by Parliament.

Oliver Barker-Vormawor in a series of Facebook posts this week described the Ghana Army as "useless".

He is said to have incited the army to stage a coup over the proposed E-Levy Bill in Parliament.

Ahead of Thursday’s demonstration by the coalition of concerned citizens against the proposed E-Levy still under consideration in Parliament, Barker-Vormawor described the Ghana Army as “useless” for not acting despite the public uproar against the bill.

“If this E-Levy passes after this cake bullshit, I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!” Barker-Vormawor wrote in one of the posts.

In another post he wrote: “Okay, let’s try again. If this E-Levy still passes after this cake bullshit, then may God….Help us to resist oppressor’s rule, With all our will and might for evermore. (2x)
Useless Army. Anaa, the value is the same?”

Police

According to the police, “the post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic of Ghana,” the police statement dated February 12, 2022, signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs, DCOP Kwesi Ofori said.

“He will be arraigned before court on Monday, 14th February, 2022.”

“We continue to call on the good people of Ghana to avoid making pronouncements that may lead to a breach of the peace of the country as any
such acts contravene the laws of the country,” it added.

Arrest

Barker-Vormawor’s arrest was first given a hint on Facebook Friday night by some friends.

He is said to have left the United Kingdom Friday morning (11th February 2022) for Accra, Ghana, where he was scheduled to have a series of meetings with the diplomatic community, according to a post on Facebook by one Ken Edward.

He arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) at 4:59 pm on TAP Air Portuagal flight TP 1527, the Facebook post indicated.

“The last time his family and lawyers heard from him was at 5:29 pm at which point he informed them that some unidentified armed men had accosted him on his way into the arrival hall at KIA,” it added.