High Court Denies Bail To Alhaji Seidu Abagre, Charged With Four Offences, Including Acting As Chief Without Qualification

The simmering chieftaincy crisis in Bawku has taken a dramatic legal turn after the High Court in Accra denied bail to 79-year-old retired teacher Alhaji Seidu Abagre, who is facing multiple criminal charges linked to the long-running conflict in the area.

Alhaji Abagre, who was removed from Bawku on December 24, 2025, following recommendations in a mediation report by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has been charged with four offences, including acting as a chief without qualification, contrary to the Chieftaincy Act.

The additional charges are provocation of riot under Section 200 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), offensive conduct conducive to a breach of the peace, and fighting with weapons. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

At proceedings on Monday, counsel for the accused, Martin Kpebu, mounted a strong legal challenge, arguing that his client’s continued detention was unconstitutional and unjustified.

Mr Kpebu told the court that Abagre had been held for 26 days without being informed of the reason for his arrest, in breach of Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution. He described the charges as misdemeanours with a maximum sentence of three years and said his client posed no flight risk.

He added that Abagre is a family man with a fixed place of abode in Bawku and has supporters ready to stand surety. The defence also cited a habeas corpus application filed on January 5, 2026, and raised concerns about the accused’s health, noting that he appeared frail and had difficulty walking.

The Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem Sai, opposed the bail application, insisting that Abagre was lawfully detained under a valid court order and had full access to family and legal counsel.

More significantly, the state framed the matter as one of national security and public order, pointing to the fragile and volatile security situation in Bawku. The prosecution warned that granting bail could inflame tensions and undermine efforts to restore calm, not only in the Upper East Region but potentially across the country.

After weighing the arguments, Justice Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit refused the bail application, siding with the state’s concerns over security and public order.

However, the court directed the Attorney-General to ensure that Abagre’s dignity is preserved in custody and that he receives appropriate medical attention. The Attorney-General was also ordered to file disclosures ahead of the next hearing.

The case has been adjourned to February 2, 2026, as the legal battle over the Bawku chieftaincy dispute moves from the palace to the courtroom, with heightened public and political attention.

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