The Managing Editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Dogbey, has been convicted and sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment by the Accra High Court over a publication linked to businessman Kevin Okyere and multinational company Petraco SA. The ruling was delivered on Wednesday, June 25, 2026, by Justice Isaac Addo, sitting at the Accra High Court, in a case involving a petition reportedly filed to state investigative bodies, including the CID, EOCO, GIPC and the Attorney-General’s Department.
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Dogbey has described the decision as unjust, insisting that the newspaper only reported on the contents of a petition and was acting within its journalistic mandate. The case has sparked renewed debate around press freedom and the legal boundaries of reportage in Ghana.
Court ruling and conviction
According to the court’s decision, the sentence stems from a publication relating to a petition submitted by Petraco SA to state institutions, including the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and the Attorney-General’s Department.
The court presided over by Justice Isaac Addo deemed the publication as contemptuous and delivered the sentence after proceedings.
Journalist reacts, questions ruling
Reacting to the judgment, Larry Dogbey expressed disappointment, maintaining that The Herald only reported on a document already submitted to investigative institutions. He argued that the publication was in the public interest and formed part of routine media reporting on official complaints and petitions.
In a statement shared after the ruling, he insisted that journalism should not be criminalised, adding that the newspaper’s coverage was based on verified material submitted to state authorities.
“Justice Isaac Addo of an Accra High Court has just convicted me and sentenced me to seven days’ imprisonment in the case involving Kevin Okyere and Petraco SA. The Herald newspaper reported only on a petition filed by the multinational company with CID, EOCO, GIPC, Attorney-General, etc. Ghana deserves better. Journalism is not a crime,” Dogbey stated in a post on Facebook.
Further developments, including the possibility of an appeal, are expected in the coming days.
