Arrested Ghana activist says he faced torture

By Thomas Naadi

The organiser of Ghana's #Fixthecountry movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has alleged that he was tortured by security personnel and held in detention for 35 days without a just cause.

Mr Barker-Vormawor was arrested and charged with treason in February for allegedly threatening to stage a coup in Ghana.

In his first public statement since his release on bail, he said that he and nearly 30 others were crammed in a cell designed for four inmates.

He described the conditions as poorly ventilated and infested with bed bugs, cockroaches, and rats.

The police have not yet commented on these accusations.

The University of Cambridge student, who has been critical of the government in social media posts, threatened a coup if a controversial bill to tax electronic transactions was passed by parliament.

But he later clarified that he did not intend to incite violence.

Mr Barker was released on bail, and must now report to the police every week.

This article originally appeared in BBC News

Photo: EDEM ROBBY ABBEYQUAYE