Political Firestorm: Ghana's Baffour Awuah Charged in EOCO Money Laundering Probe

Manhyia South Member of Parliament (MP), Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has been formally charged by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) with serious offences including money laundering and causing financial loss to the state. His lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, confirmed these charges on JoyFM’s Top Story, specifying "loss of public funds and also causing loss and then money laundering." The MP is currently under investigation over alleged unauthorised financial transactions linked to SIC Life Savings and Loans.

Mr. Atta Akyea vehemently rejected the allegations, asserting that his client's involvement stemmed from legitimate legal work undertaken for SIC Life. He argued that the transaction, which involved SIC Life engaging his client’s law firm to recover an investment from Equity Savings and Loans, followed a clear "paper trail." This process, according to the lawyer, included court proceedings, a judgment, and subsequent legal steps to attach property and recover the investment. "It is legitimate in the sense that a judgment was handed down, and it's legitimate because an entry of judgment was filed. It is legitimate because they attached the property belonging to the Equity Savings and Loans," Mr. Atta Akyea stated, questioning how such documented legal service could be construed as criminality.

The lawyer also disputed the reported value of the investment, clarifying that the entry of judgment indicated an amount of approximately GH¢10 million, which included the investment plus interest, rather than the GH¢14 million widely cited. Furthermore, Mr. Atta Akyea challenged the very mandate of EOCO in this matter, asking whether it fell within their jurisdiction to investigate what he considered a dispute arising from a lawyer-client arrangement or an allegedly unfavourable legal settlement. He questioned, "If the client feels that he's been shortchanged, now are you going to reduce EOCO to a debt collector? Is that a remit of EOCO?"

The investigation led to Mr. Baffour Awuah voluntarily reporting himself to EOCO on Thursday, October 1, following an Accra High Court warrant authorising his arrest and the search and seizure of relevant documents. He was subsequently placed under arrest and, according to EOCO, is cooperating with investigators. His lawyer, however, expressed concern about the MP's detention overnight, particularly given his voluntary cooperation. Mr. Atta Akyea noted that his client had not eaten or taken water while in custody, attributing it to distress over the circumstances. He asked, "What is the value in detaining him overnight? What is the value to the state? When the man came here voluntarily... The man is cooperating with you. Why do you want to detain him?"

As part of the probe, EOCO conducted searches at Mr. Baffour Awuah's former law firm, Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners, and later at his residence. Mr. Atta Akyea questioned the rationale behind searching the law firm for the SIC file, as his client had explicitly informed investigators that the document had already been surrendered to SIC Life, the client. He also raised serious concerns about the sanctity of a law firm's "holy chamber of confidentiality," fearing that searches could expose sensitive information belonging to other clients. He warned that if the search order did not specifically pertain to the ongoing investigation, EOCO could "fall far off the law" by accessing unrelated confidential files.

Other Members of Parliament have also weighed in on the issue. Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, MP for Bosome Freho, affirmed Mr. Baffour Awuah's readiness to cooperate fully and challenged EOCO to substantiate its allegations of money laundering and financial loss. The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, demanded the immediate release of Mr. Baffour Awuah, expressing concerns about fairness and the use of investigative power. He claimed that the MP had previously referred EOCO's invitations to the Clerk of Parliament, which were not acknowledged, and questioned why the MP was kept waiting for hours despite voluntarily reporting. Mr. Afenyo-Markin further alleged that the government was using state powers to intimidate opposition voices, a claim denied by the government and EOCO, and called for an end to such practices.

EOCO maintains that its investigation pertains to alleged unauthorised financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans, with suspected offences including criminal conspiracy, financial loss, dissipation of public funds, money laundering, and tax-related matters. While Mr. Baffour Awuah is cooperating, the allegations against him have not yet been determined by a court, and further interrogation is anticipated.