'NDC plan is to keep Miracles Aboagye in detention for days' — Oppong Nkrumah alleges

Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has criticised the manner in which the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is handling the arrest of New Patriotic Party (NPP) communicator Dennis Miracles Aboagye.

Miracles Aboagye, an aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, was arrested at the Accra International Airport on Saturday, July 11, upon his return from a trip abroad.

EOCO, in a statement, said Miracles Aboagye and former IMCCoD Accountant Gerald Appiah are being investigated over suspected offences including conspiracy to steal, stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and other alleged financial crimes involving about GH¢55 million.

On Monday, July 13, he was granted bail of GH¢50 million with three sureties two of whom must be justified, a condition he has yet to satisfy, leaving him in custody.

Reacting to the development in a social media post on Tuesday, July 14, Oppong Nkrumah alleged that the bail conditions were intended to keep the NPP communicator in detention for an extended period.

"Miracles was arrested on Saturday upon his return to Ghana. A man who had previously responded to invitations to answer questions. He was not a flight risk. Indeed he had just landed in Accra.

"He was denied access to lawyers on Saturday and Sunday. The government knew all along they won't interrogate him till Monday. But they arrested him and kept him," he wrote.

The former Information Minister further questioned the rationale behind the bail conditions, arguing that they were excessive under the circumstances.

"On Monday at 8pm he was granted 50m cedis bail with three sureties two of which should be justified. Obviously the plan is to keep him for days. If you think this is where our rule of law should go, that's fine. He will survive this. But it becomes the new normal," he stated.

Oppong Nkrumah also claimed that the arrest of Miracles Aboagye, together with two other NPP communicators within three days, reflected what he described as a worrying trend.

He alleged that even though the state would deny targeting dissenting voices, such actions may normalise what he sees as the suppression of political opposition.