MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah Granted GH¢10m Bail as NDC Official Admits Directing EOCO Arrest

The Accra High Court has granted bail of GH¢10 million with two sureties to Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, following his detention by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). The MP faces three criminal charges, including money laundering and causing financial loss to the state, specifically involving an alleged GH¢9.85 million loss to SIC Life Savings and Loans. Baffour Awuah, who turned himself in on October 1 following the issuance of a court warrant, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case has sparked a significant political firestorm regarding the independence of state investigative bodies and the treatment of elected officials.

Controversy surrounding the arrest intensified after Mustapha Gbande, the Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), admitted to instructing EOCO to apprehend the MP. Gbande defended his actions, stating that the directive was necessitated by Baffour Awuah’s alleged refusal to cooperate with investigative invitations and emphasizing that no political figure should be exempt from law enforcement. However, this admission has drawn sharp condemnation from Akwasi Konadu, the MP for Manhyia North, who described Gbande’s remarks as an arrogant ’abuse of political power.’ Konadu warned that suggesting a political official can direct the arrest of a legislator undermines the independence of law enforcement and the principles of due process.

The Parliament of Ghana has also expressed formal concern over the handling of the case, particularly the decision by EOCO to detain the MP overnight after he had voluntarily presented himself. The legislature questioned the necessity of the detention, arguing that once a suspect cooperates, continued custody should not be used as a punitive measure. Parliament announced intentions to review the existing constitutional frameworks governing the detention and prosecution of MPs to ensure that their rights and privileges are respected and to prevent potential political victimization.

As the legal process unfolds, Baffour Awuah is scheduled to reappear in court on October 26, 2026. The proceedings are expected to be closely watched as a test of the balance between institutional accountability and the protection of parliamentary representatives from executive or partisan interference. While the NDC leadership maintains that the case is a straightforward matter of financial misconduct, the opposition and parliamentary observers continue to raise alarms over the optics of political figures influencing state-led criminal investigations.