Baffour Awuah Did Not Report to EOCO Voluntarily; Arrest Warrant Forced Him – Dzimega

Lawyer and member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication Team, Theophilius Dzimega Jr, has rejected the characterization of Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah’s appearance before the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) as voluntary.

According to Mr Dzimega, the MP reported to EOCO only after the Accra High Court had issued a warrant authorising his arrest, following efforts by the agency to secure his attendance for questioning.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, October 3, Mr Dzimega argued that the existence of the warrant meant the MP’s subsequent decision to report to EOCO could not properly be described as voluntary.

“The idea that he (Baffour Awuah) went there voluntarily is not voluntary. There had been an arrest warrant issued. And it is the pain of being arrested based on the back of that arrest warrant that made him to go there,” he said.

Mr Dzimega acknowledged that the arrest warrant had not been executed when Mr Baffour Awuah reported to EOCO. However, he maintained that the MP had already been placed on notice that authorities intended to arrest him.

“Yes, we could say that the arrest warrant was not executed. That is granted. But generally I think he’s been put on notice and almost everybody has been put on notice that an arrest warrant has been issued to bring Baffour Awuah,” he added.

The High Court issued the arrest warrant on September 30 after EOCO told the court that it had exhausted reasonable efforts to secure the MP’s voluntary attendance. The court also authorised EOCO to search for and seize documents considered relevant to its investigation.

Mr Baffour Awuah subsequently reported to EOCO on October 1, accompanied by his lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, and some parliamentary colleagues. His appearance followed the court’s order authorising his arrest.

Mr Dzimega also questioned the circumstances surrounding invitations allegedly issued to the MP in February 2026.

“In any case, if we say that someone was invited way back in February and the person never attended. And there had been issues like, ‘I’ll send the letter to the Clerk of Parliament,’ etc. We do not know what went on behind,” he said.

He further argued that informal encounters between EOCO officials and the MP could not reasonably be relied upon as a formal means of securing his attendance.

“In any case, you don’t expect Raymond Archer to meet you on the street or at a conference and having jolly any other time to say, ‘But you bro, we have been looking for you. When are you going to come?’ How are we going to explain that tomorrow?” he asked.

Mr Dzimega therefore maintained that the circumstances leading to Mr Baffour Awuah’s appearance before EOCO should be accurately described.

“We are going to say that he even met me in Parliament when I was doing parliamentary duties and told me that they are looking for me. We will be the same persons to say even in Parliament we were chasing him to say that we are looking for him. He didn’t go there voluntarily. Let’s make that clear,” he said.

EOCO has maintained that it made efforts to secure Mr Baffour Awuah’s attendance after inviting him on two occasions in February 2026. The agency told the High Court that those efforts had been unsuccessful before it sought the arrest warrant.

The development followed an attempted arrest of the MP at the Accra High Court on September 23, which resulted in a confrontation. EOCO subsequently sought judicial authorisation to arrest him and search for and seize documents relevant to its investigation.

The investigation concerns alleged unauthorised financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings & Loans Company Limited. Authorities have cited suspected offences including financial loss, dissipation of public funds and money laundering. These remain allegations under investigation.