Lawyer for Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, Samuel Atta Akyea, has expressed disappointment over the continued detention of his client by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), saying the MP will spend another night in custody.
Mr Akyea said this followed about five hours of interrogation during which the legal team was assured that EOCO would seek approval to grant the MP bail.
“I have to bring to your attention that after about five hours of interrogation and them assuring us that they were going to seek approval to grant him bail, I’m highly disappointed that they have detained him one more time,” he said in an interview with JoyNews’ Collins Frimpong.
The lawyer said he had been informed that a judge would sit on Saturday to consider bail for his client, but questioned why the matter required the involvement of a judge.
“I’m hearing some funny stories that tomorrow [Saturday] there will be a sitting judge to consider bail for my client. The question is, what has that got to do with the judge?” he asked.
He argued that the arrest warrant obtained by EOCO was different from a bench warrant and questioned the basis for taking the MP before a judge after he had voluntarily surrendered to the agency.
“That is not a bench warrant. Take him back to the judge, for the judge to determine the fate of the individual. You never went to the court to seek a bench warrant. You wanted an arrest warrant. You wanted to arrest him, then they gave you the arrest warrant, and then my client voluntarily came over to you,” he said.
Mr Akyea said the circumstances did not warrant keeping the MP in custody, arguing that he was a sitting Member of Parliament who had voluntarily presented himself to EOCO.
“I believe that the rule of law and common decency should dawn on them that a sitting Member of Parliament is not leaving the room. He’s not running anywhere,” he said.
He also pointed to the impact of the MP’s continued detention on his constituents, who are expected to participate in the New Patriotic Party’s national delegates conference in Kumasi.
“What is even sad is that the whole of his constituency is waiting for him so that they will vote validly at the NPP’s delegates’ conference in Kumasi. So I don’t understand what is going on,” he said.
Mr Akyea further criticised what he described as a conflation of an arrest warrant with a bench warrant.
“But for anybody to confuse what a bench warrant is with an arrest warrant is a whole mischief,” he said.
He said he would challenge the continued detention when the matter comes before the court.
“I’m going to plead with the judge that, look, what is going on is an aberration and an affront to justice, and he should be admitted to jail,” he said.
EOCO plans weekend court appearance
EOCO had earlier announced that it was working with the Office of the Attorney-General to bring Mr Baffour Awuah before a weekend court, citing constitutional timeframes and procedural requirements governing bail.
In a statement issued on Friday, October 2, the agency said the MP voluntarily surrendered to its offices at about 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 1, and was cooperating with investigators as the necessary investigative, procedural and operational processes continued.
EOCO said it was “fervently working with the Office of the Attorney-General to bring the Suspect before a weekend court.”
The agency also dismissed reports that it had granted the MP GH¢50 million bail and urged the public to disregard such reports.
Arrest and investigation
Mr Baffour Awuah’s voluntary surrender followed the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Accra High Court after EOCO had sought the warrant in connection with an ongoing investigation.
The agency had told the court that it had exhausted reasonable means of securing the MP’s voluntary attendance and had expressed concern that relevant documents could be concealed, altered or destroyed.
The investigation concerns alleged financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans. EOCO has said its inquiries cover allegations including criminal conspiracy, financial loss to SIC Savings and Loans, money laundering and tax-related offences, among other matters.
Mr Baffour Awuah, who is also a Senior Partner at Sarkodie, Baffour Awuah and Partners, reported to EOCO, accompanied by his lawyers and has been cooperating with investigators.
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