Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP Frank Annoh-Dompreh has expressed concern over the attempted arrest of Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah by officials of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) at the Accra High Court on September 23, 2026. Annoh-Dompreh described the incident as alarming and a sign of deterioration in Ghana's democratic credentials. Baffour Awuah, a lawyer, was representing a client at the court when the incident occurred.
According to Annoh-Dompreh, the incident was particularly concerning because Baffour Awuah was acting as counsel for a client at the time. He stated that it was unprecedented in his experience for a counsel to be arrested at gunpoint while representing a client. Annoh-Dompreh expressed concern about the manner in which the attempted arrest was carried out, describing it as "strange."
Annoh-Dompreh called on the media and the public to scrutinize the circumstances surrounding the incident and ask questions about the conduct of law enforcement agencies. He said the incident raised broader questions about the state of Ghana's democratic institutions. The Minority Chief Whip condemned the incident and urged well-meaning Ghanaians to interrogate the matter.
When asked whether he believed the incident was politically motivated, Annoh-Dompreh said he was unable to establish a political motive. He stated that Baffour Awuah was representing a client who was not politically exposed. However, Annoh-Dompreh suggested that the incident could have been intended to divert public attention from other issues facing the government.
Annoh-Dompreh noted that the government was under significant pressure from public discourse and criticism in both traditional and social media. He stated that sometimes such reactions come from government just to divert attention. Annoh-Dompreh stressed that this was his own deduction from the circumstances and called for the relevant authorities involved in the incident to provide an explanation.
EOCO has stated that the attempted arrest was connected to an ongoing investigation and followed Baffour Awuah's failure to honour invitations from the office. The incident has sparked widespread public debate over EOCO's actions and questions surrounding the legal authority of the agency, the MP's parliamentary status, and the circumstances under which the arrest was attempted.
Annoh-Dompreh's comments follow widespread criticism of EOCO's actions, with many questioning the agency's conduct. The incident has raised concerns about the relationship between law enforcement agencies and the legislature in Ghana. The matter is expected to continue to generate public debate in the coming days.
Key points
- The incident has sparked concerns about the state of Ghana's democratic institutions and the conduct of law enforcement agencies.
- Annoh-Dompreh has urged the media and the public to scrutinize the circumstances surrounding the incident.
- The incident has raised questions about the relationship between law enforcement agencies and the legislature in Ghana.
