Herald Newspaper editor granted bail pending contempt appeal

Larry Alans-Dogbey, Editor of The Herald newspaper, will remain on bail while he challenges his contempt conviction at the Court of Appeal.

The Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Isaac Addo, granted him bail pending appeal after his lawyer moved an application asking the court to suspend the effect of the custodial sentence while the appeal is heard.

Mr Alans-Dogbey is to remain on the bail terms earlier granted on June 26, 2026.

Those terms are GH¢100,000 with two sureties.

His lawyer, Peter Kwabena Okudzeto, told the court that the application for bail pending appeal was filed on July 6 and served on the respondent on July 9.

He said no opposition had been filed to the motion.

Counsel therefore urged the court to grant the application based on the motion paper, supporting affidavit and attached exhibits.

Justice Addo granted the request, ruling that the applicant should remain on his previous bail until the appeal is determined.

“The application for bail pending appeal is granted. The applicant is granted bail pending the determination of his appeal and is to remain on his former bail granted on the 26th day of June, 2026, that is GH¢100,000 with two sureties,” the judge said.

Mr Alans-Dogbey was convicted on June 25, 2026, by the General Jurisdiction Division of the Accra High Court for contempt of court.

The conviction arose from a civil suit filed by businessman Kevin Okyere and Springfield Exploration and Production Limited.

He was found guilty of breaching an interlocutory injunction and was sentenced to seven days in custody.

On July 1, he filed a Notice of Appeal challenging both the conviction and the sentence.

His lawyers have raised 13 grounds of appeal, including arguments on freedom of expression and media freedom.

They argue that the interlocutory injunction issued in June 2025 unlawfully restrained publication before any court had determined whether the disputed statements were defamatory.

The appeal also contends that the order was vague, uncertain and could not properly ground contempt proceedings.

Mr Alans-Dogbey further argues that the publications complained of were based on official public documents, including a petition to the Economic and Organised Crime Office, correspondence from the Ministry of Energy and documents from proceedings before a United Kingdom court.

His lawyers maintain that the matters were of public interest.

The appeal also challenges a WhatsApp screenshot allegedly relied on as proof of service of the court processes, claiming it was fabricated.

Mr Alans-Dogbey is asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the contempt conviction and custodial sentence.

He also wants the interlocutory injunction dated June 11, 2025, declared null and void, or alternatively, for any custodial sentence to be replaced with a non-custodial punishment.

The substantive appeal is still pending before the Court of Appeal.