Baffour Awuah’s detention is about showing him where power lies after resisting EOCO’s ‘unlawful arrest’ – Oppong Nkrumah

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, a Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, has claimed that the detention of Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah is a deliberate attempt to demonstrate to Awuah "where power lies" following his resistance to what he claims was an "unlawful arrest" by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). According to Nkrumah, the focus should not be solely on the state's authority to hold a suspect for 48 hours, but rather on whether the individual is likely to appear before investigators and the court, potentially disrupt investigations, or act as a flight risk.

During an interview with JoyNews' Kwaku Asante, Nkrumah questioned the circumstances surrounding the detention and subsequent court proceedings involving MP Awuah. He argued that the purpose of bail proceedings is to determine whether a suspect's liberty could impact the investigative or judicial process. Nkrumah maintained that the use of state power in this matter appears inappropriate, emphasizing that it's not about the state's power to detain for 48 hours, but rather about ensuring the suspect attends the necessary processes.

Nkrumah further alleged that state institutions are using their powers inappropriately, drawing parallels to the "weaponisation" of state powers by some government officials and parliamentarians. The MP under investigation by EOCO is alleged to have been involved in questionable financial transactions related to SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited. Nkrumah insists that the investigation must be separate from the way the suspect's liberty is restricted, asserting that state institutions must adhere to due process.