The Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, has claimed that former Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), Dennis Miracles Aboagye, was interrogated by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over alleged financial irregularities involving approximately GH¢5 million, not the GH¢55 million cited by the agency.
According to Mr. Awuku, Mr. Aboagye informed him that during the five days he spent in EOCO custody, investigators never questioned him about any alleged misappropriation of GH¢55 million.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, July 17, Mr. Awuku challenged EOCO’s public statement, insisting that the interrogation focused on administrative decisions, procurement matters and directives Mr. Aboagye received while serving as Executive Secretary of the IMCCoD Secretariat.
“Interestingly, the man was interrogated for hours. He was kept in the cells of a law enforcement agency from Saturday evening until Wednesday, and in the five days that he spent in their hands, they never discussed GH¢55 million with him,” Mr. Awuku said.
The Akuapem North MP explained that investigators questioned Mr. Aboagye about management decisions, procurement processes and instructions from his supervising minister.
“At every point in time, according to him, the discussion centred on some decisions taken by him when he was in management, instructions he received from his sector minister, and some procurement issues. In total, they were talking about GH¢5 million, not GH¢55 million,” he stated.
Mr. Awuku also criticised the circumstances surrounding Mr. Aboagye’s arrest, arguing that it was unnecessary because his lawyers had already engaged EOCO and assured investigators that he would make himself available whenever required.
He further questioned EOCO’s decision to place Mr. Aboagye on a stop list after he had already travelled and returned to Ghana.
“A stop list is supposed to prevent you from leaving the jurisdiction because you are under investigation, not when you are returning into the jurisdiction,” he argued.
Mr. Awuku’s comments follow EOCO’s announcement that Mr. Aboagye and former IMCCoD accountant Gerald Appiah were arrested in connection with alleged financial and procurement-related irregularities involving about GH¢55 million.
According to EOCO, the arrests are part of ongoing investigations into suspected misappropriation, misapplication, diversion and theft of public funds at the IMCCoD Secretariat. The investigations stem from a petition filed by the current Executive Secretary and a forensic audit covering the period from August 1, 2022, to February 2, 2025.
