The President of the Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), Mr David Tamakloe, has warned that the temporary freedom secured by the Managing Editor of The Herald, Larry Dogbe, hinges on a strict 10-day ultimatum, failing which he will be hauled back to prison.

The journalist was granted a conditional 10-day bail window following a swift ex parte application moved by his legal team to stay the execution of a custodial sentence handed down by the court.

Mr Tamakloe explained that the emergency relief is merely a stopgap measure to allow the defence to properly transition the matter from an ex parte status to a substantive appeal on notice.

Providing clarity on the high-stakes legal manoeuvring, the PRINPAG President stressed that the bail does not absolve the journalist of the conviction but acts as a temporary suspension of custody to allow for proper legal filings.

“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 stated on Citi FM on Friday, June 26, 2026.

He further noted that the judicial clock began ticking immediately upon the granting of the bail, requiring the journalist's legal team to formally file the appeal and serve all relevant parties within the stipulated timeframe.

“That appeal will then be argued by both parties, after which a final decision will be taken on the contempt appeal,” he explained.

The genesis of the contempt conviction

The legal crisis erupted on Thursday, June 25, 2026, when an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Isaac Addo, found Mr Dogbe guilty of contempt of court and ordered the immediate execution of a custodial sentence via a warrant of committal directed to the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service.

The severe judicial reprimand stemmed from a series of articles published by The Herald concerning an underlying corporate legal dispute between Petraco SA and local oil tycoon Kevin Okyere, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Springfield Exploration and Production Limited (SEP).

The court held that Mr Dogbe wilfully violated an active interlocutory injunction that explicitly restrained his media house from publishing further investigative reports or commentary on a petition filed by Petraco SA against Mr Okyere.

During cross-examination, the defence attempted to argue that the editor could not be held liable for contempt because he had not been formally served with the specific court order prohibiting further publication.

However, Justice Isaac Addo rejected the explanation, maintaining that the evidence demonstrated a clear breach of judicial orders, which necessitated punitive measures to protect the integrity of the administration of justice.