Jailed journalist Larry Dogbey freed on conditional 10-day bail as contempt appeal begins

The President of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), David Tamakloe, has confirmed that journalist Larry Dogbey has been released on bail — but only on strict conditions tied to the progress of a legal appeal against his contempt of court conviction.

Mr. Tamakloe explained that Dogbey's lawyers filed an urgent ex parte application requesting a stay of execution of his sentence, and that the bail is valid for just 10 days. Should the journalist fail to return to court within that window with a formal notice of appeal, he will be sent back to prison.

"The bail is to take effect for just 10 days. If after the 10 days he does not return to the court with a proper notice, then he goes back into custody, because this was filed ex parte. He needs to file an appeal on notice," Mr. Tamakloe said.

Once a substantive appeal is filed and served on all parties, both sides will argue the matter before a final ruling is made on the contempt charge.

Dogbey, editor of The Herald newspaper, was sentenced to 10 days in prison by the Accra High Court on 25th June after Justice Isaac Addo found him guilty of contempt. The case arose from publications related to a commercial dispute between businessman Kevin Okyere's Springfield Exploration and Production Limited and Petraco SA. The court held that Dogbey had breached an interlocutory injunction barring further coverage of the matter, though the journalist maintained he was never properly served with the order.

PRINPAG has called on journalists and the wider public to allow the judicial process to run its course, urging patience as the appeal proceedings get underway.