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Legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has raised concerns over the Economic and Organised Crime Office's (EOCO) decision to seek a court warrant for the arrest of the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah. This decision came after the Accra High Court granted EOCO a warrant, following their assertion that they had attempted every reasonable means to secure Awuah's voluntary attendance.

"When officers of EOCO exhausted reasonable measures to get MP Awuah to cooperate voluntarily, they sought a court warrant," Kpebu explained during an appearance on Joy FM's Top Story. He emphasized that while arrest warrants offer an added layer of protection in law enforcement, Parliament already possesses a procedure to facilitate MPs' availability to such agencies.

Under Ghana's law, Section 20 of Act 300, the Parliament Act, stipulates that to secure an MP's presence, a written request should be directed to the Speaker of Parliament, detailing the reasons behind the request. Kpebu questioned the necessity of EOCO resorting to a court warrant when the parliamentary protocol is available. "I fail to comprehend why they would opt for the parliamentary procedure," he said.

Kpebu commended the Speaker's commendable efforts in assisting MPs by ensuring their availability to law enforcement agencies through the parliamentary process. He stated that the Speaker would then arrange for law enforcement personnel to visit Parliament to meet the MP.

Kpebu expressed worry that requesting an MP to report to a police station could potentially lead to extended detention. He cautioned that such an approach might provide an advantage to vindictive or overzealous police officers or a government seeking to punish an MP. "If the MP is directed to the police station, there might be ways to detain them for extended periods, from morning to evening," he warned.

According to Kpebu, the parliamentary procedure could serve as a safeguard to ensure that MPs cooperate with investigations while safeguarding the privileges inherent to their office.