The High Court in Accra has granted Pastor Hammond Love bail while he appeals his 48-month prison sentence.
The bail was set at GHC 2 million, with two sureties required to provide proof of property ownership within Accra. Additionally, Presiding Justice Naa Koowa Quarshie ordered Pastor Love to surrender his passport to the court registry, ensuring it remains valid until at least November 15, 2025.
Hammond Love, popularly known as Pastor Love, was convicted on October 1, 2024, by the Circuit Court in Accra for the theft of a 2013 Toyota Highlander, which had been imported into Ghana in 2016. While out on bail, he is required to report to the police every Tuesday.
Pastor Love pleaded not guilty to the charges, but after a seven-year trial, he was found guilty. The Circuit Court, presided over by His Honor Isaac Addo, sentenced him to hard labor.
Pastor Love and his legal team filed a notice requesting bail pending the outcome of their appeal, expressing dissatisfaction with the ruling. In the application for bail submitted on Friday, November 15, Pastor Love’s lawyer, Francis Kwame Yeboah, argued that the trial court’s judgment contained significant errors. Yeboah claimed the prosecution had failed to present a strong case against his client and pointed out that the Circuit Court had previously acknowledged that Pastor Love had used his own funds to clear the vehicle in question.
The defense also contended that after clearing the 2013 Toyota Highlander, the complainant, Samuel Amankwah, had instructed Pastor Love to sell the vehicle for $50,000 and deduct the clearance charges from the proceeds. However, the defense argued that the trial judge contradicted this account by convicting Pastor Love of theft, raising doubts about the consistency of the judgment. Given these discrepancies, the lawyer argued that there were valid grounds to grant bail pending the outcome of the appeal.
Assistant State Attorney Rita Ofosua Appiah led the prosecution’s opposition to the bail request, arguing that Pastor Love was ineligible for the presumption of innocence due to his criminal record.
The defense further emphasized that Pastor Love had admitted to selling the vehicle with the consent of the complainant, Samuel Amankwah. They argued that the issues raised, such as inconsistencies in the evidence, should be addressed during the appeal process, not used as the basis for conviction.
After reviewing the submissions from both sides, Justice Naa Koowa Quarshie exercised her discretion and granted Pastor Love bail. She acknowledged that the arguments presented justified his release while the appeal was pending, ensuring a fair balance between judicial process and fairness.
