The Accra High Court has denied bail to Daniel Koranteng Owusu, the 35-year-old businessman accused in connection with the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein Suale.
The decision was delivered by Justice Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie, who ruled that the application for bail was premature, though she left open the possibility for future consideration depending on how the case unfolds.
Owusu is facing provisional charges of murder and abetment of crime at the Madina District Court, where he first appeared in March this year.
His legal counsel, Nathaniel Egbor, argued that the charges brought against him are not supported by the prosecution’s facts.
He maintained that Owusu would not interfere with investigations if granted bail and emphasized his client’s constitutional right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Egbor also challenged the narrative that his client had evaded justice, stating that Owusu left Ghana in September 2019—months after the journalist was killed—and returned in August this year without any attempt to conceal his presence.
The prosecution, led by Assistant State Attorney Maame Afua Osei Gyamerah, opposed the application, citing a reasonable suspicion of Owusu’s involvement in the murder.
She referenced call records allegedly placing his phone in the vicinity of the victim’s neighborhood on several occasions shortly before the killing.
The prosecution insisted that keeping the accused in custody was necessary to ensure he stands trial, especially as investigations are still ongoing.
Court documents allege that Owusu played a direct role in orchestrating the murder by abetting two suspects who remain at large.
He is said to have sent photographs of the journalist to a public figure who subsequently displayed them on television, calling for retribution.
The accused is further alleged to have led the assailants to the journalist’s residence on the night of the attack.
Owusu faces serious charges under Ghana’s Criminal and Other Offences Act, including murder and abetment, for which he has pleaded not guilty.
The case remains under investigation as the search continues for the remaining suspects.
