The High Court of Ghana has granted the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) the authority to arrest Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South. This decision is part of an ongoing investigation, although the specific details of the probe have not been publicly disclosed by EOCO. The court also authorized EOCO to search for and seize documents that are considered relevant to the investigation. This development comes after attempts to secure the MP's voluntary attendance had not yielded the desired outcome.
According to EOCO, there was a risk that documents relevant to the investigation could be concealed, tampered with, or destroyed if the court did not grant the requested search and seizure orders. The Office had previously attempted to arrest the MP on September 23, 2026, at the Accra High Court. EOCO stated that the attempted arrest was connected to an investigation for which Mr. Baffour Awuah had allegedly been invited on two occasions in February 2026. However, the MP has disputed EOCO's account, insisting that he was not personally the subject of the investigation.
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah explained that the matter concerns SIC Life Savings and Loans Company, which had previously engaged his former law firm, Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners. He claimed that after receiving EOCO's invitation in February, he referred the matter to the Clerk of Parliament because he had by then become an MP. A representative of his former law firm subsequently appeared before EOCO investigators on March 4, March 18, and April 30, 2026, and supplied information requested by the Office, including a written statement.
The investigation is understood to concern financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans and Equity Savings and Loans. According to Mr. Baffour Awuah, his former law firm was engaged by SIC Life Savings and Loans to assist in recovering about GH¢3.5 million invested with Equity Savings and Loans. He stated that the investment, together with accrued interest, later increased to approximately GH¢14 million before the parties reached a negotiated settlement.
Despite the MP's assertions, EOCO has not publicly provided the full details of the investigation or disclosed the specific allegations being examined. The Office has, however, now obtained judicial authorization to arrest the Manhyia South MP and search for and seize documents considered relevant to the investigation. This move is likely to escalate the situation, given the MP's previous disputes over the nature of the investigation.
The confrontation between EOCO officers and the MP at the Accra High Court on September 23, 2026, highlights the tensions surrounding this case. The MP's dispute with EOCO over the nature of the investigation and his role in it suggests that there may be complexities in the case that go beyond a straightforward investigation. The court's decision to grant EOCO's requests has set the stage for further developments in the coming days.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the MP will respond to the court's authorization for his arrest and the seizure of documents. The public's perception of the case may shift as more details emerge, and the impact on the MP's political career and the broader political landscape in Ghana could be significant. For now, the focus is on the court's decision and the next steps in the investigation.
Key points
- The High Court of Ghana has granted EOCO the authority to arrest Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the MP for Manhyia South, as part of an ongoing investigation.
- The investigation concerns financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans and Equity Savings and Loans.
- The MP has disputed EOCO's account, claiming he is not personally the subject of the investigation but rather a representative of his former law firm that was engaged by SIC Life Savings and Loans.
