Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, was re-arrested on Monday, January 26, shortly after the High Court struck out his certiorari application challenging proceedings at the Gbese District Court.
Abu Trica is facing romance fraud allegations for which the United States of America has submitted an extradition request to the Ghanaian authorities.
Extradition proceedings against Abu Trica and two other accused persons were initially ongoing before the Gbese District Court. The State later discontinued the case against the two co-accused.
Following the discontinuation, lawyers for Abu Trica argued that since the charge before the District Court was conspiracy, the withdrawal of the case against the other accused persons effectively collapsed the charge against their client. The District Court upheld the argument and discharged all three accused persons.
Despite the discharge, Abu Trica subsequently returned to the High Court to argue an application for certiorari seeking to quash aspects of the District Court’s proceedings.
At the High Court, the Attorney-General’s office argued that the application had become moot, citing the earlier discontinuation of the prosecution and the discharge of the applicant.
Counsel for Abu Trica, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, maintained that despite the withdrawal of the prosecution, his client remained in detention, a situation he described as creating a disconnect between the letter of the law and its practical effect.
The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, however, assured the court that if Abu Trica was still in custody despite the discontinuation of the case, steps would be taken to ensure his immediate discharge.
The court subsequently struck out the certiorari application, holding that once the applicant had been discharged, the matter before it had become moot.
Shortly after the High Court proceedings, Abu Trica was re-arrested by state authorities.
