The High Court in Accra has granted a GH¢10 million bail to Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South. The bail was granted with two sureties, who are also members of Parliament, namely the MPs for Bosome Freho and Effia. The court, presided over by Justice Charity Akosua Asem, directed Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah to deposit his passport with the Court Registry as part of the bail conditions.
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime, causing financial loss of GH¢9.85 million to the state, and money laundering. These charges arise from alleged financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans during his tenure. The prosecution, led by Dr Justice Srem-Sai, Deputy Attorney-General, did not oppose the grant of bail but urged the court to impose conditions that would ensure the accused remained available to the court and investigators.
The court ordered Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah to make himself available to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) whenever required for investigations. Dr Srem-Sai told the court that EOCO had made several attempts to secure Nana Baffour Awuah’s attendance during investigations and urged the court to take those circumstances into consideration in determining the bail conditions. This development comes after EOCO obtained a High Court warrant for his arrest and the search and seizure of documents relevant to the investigation.
Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, counsel for Nana Baffour Awuah, argued that the accused was a sitting MP and was not a flight risk or likely to interfere with investigations. He stated that the accused person is not a flight risk and had gone to EOCO on his own volition. The counsel also drew the court’s attention to previous cases in which former Ministers had been granted bail on their own recognisance.
The court directed the prosecution to file its disclosures by October 22, 2026, to enable it to conduct a Case Management Conference on November 2, 2026. This case management conference is a crucial step in ensuring that the trial proceeds in a timely and efficient manner. Nana Baffour Awuah’s lawyers have maintained that the transactions under investigation arose from legal work undertaken by his former law firm.
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah reported himself to EOCO on October 1, 2026, accompanied by his lawyers, and was detained and questioned as part of the investigation. The investigation by EOCO into alleged financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans led to the charges against the MP. The case has garnered significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the accused and the substantial financial loss alleged.
The case is set to continue with the prosecution filing its disclosures and the court conducting a Case Management Conference. Key points in the case include the GH¢10 million bail granted to Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the charges of conspiracy, financial loss, and money laundering, and the court's directive for the MP to make himself available for investigations.
Key points
- The High Court granted Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah a GH¢10 million bail with two sureties.
- Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah faces charges of conspiracy, causing financial loss, and money laundering.
- The court directed Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah to make himself available to EOCO for investigations.
