EOCO must go through Speaker before seeking to arrest Baffour Awuah – Dafeamekpor

The Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, says the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) should have approached the Speaker of Parliament before allegedly attempting to arrest Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah at the Accra High Court. In a post on X hours after videos of the alleged arrest emerged, Mr Dafeamekpor described the reported attempt to arrest the MP within the court precincts as “absolutely unacceptable” if EOCO had not followed what he said was the established procedure for dealing with parliamentarians. He cited Article 117 of the Constitution, which addresses the service of civil and criminal processes on the Speaker, MPs and the Clerk to Parliament.

Mr Dafeamekpor acknowledged that the provision applies while they are travelling to, attending or returning from parliamentary proceedings, but argued that the procedure for arresting an MP had come to require an approach through the Speaker. “Where a law provides a procedure for a right to be exercised, it’s only that procedure that must be followed,” he wrote. Mr Dafeamekpor said Parliament would resist any attempt to breach what he described as the established protocol between the House and law enforcement agencies.

He also argued that such incidents could harm Parliament’s standing, particularly while it was hosting an ECOWAS Parliament conference in Accra. He stressed that his objection was to the procedure, rather than any lawful investigation of Mr Baffour Awuah. “If the Hon Baffour-Awuah is alleged to have committed any offence, for which EOCO requires his presence, by all means, let the law speak but let the law follow lawful procedure,” he wrote.

Mr Dafeamekpor’s account describes an attempted arrest. The circumstances of the incident and EOCO’s position have not been established in the material provided. READ ALSO: ‘I had to drive off to safety’ – Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah on why he fled after High Court clash

His comments follow an attempt by personnel of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to arrest Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah within the precincts of the Accra High Court on Wednesday, September 23. In a post on X, Mr Dafeamekpor argued that any move to arrest a sitting MP should first be channelled through the Speaker of Parliament. He cited Article 117 of the Constitution and what he described as the procedure currently followed in such cases.

“As leaders in Parliament, we would resist any attempt to breach the established protocol and the cordial relationship that exists between Parliament and other institutions of state, including EOCO,” he wrote. Mr Dafeamekpor said the incident was particularly concerning while Parliament was hosting an ECOWAS Parliament conference in Accra. He argued that procedural disputes could affect Ghana’s image at home and abroad.