‘Common sense wasn’t working’ – Kumadoe takes on EOCO, MP standoff

Security consultant, Richard Kumadoe has criticised the ugly conduct of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) during its attempted arrest of Manhyia South MP, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, saying the operation became unnecessarily confrontational.

Speaking on The Big Issue on Saturday, September 26, Kumadoe said the incident could have been handled differently if the officers had followed established arrest procedures and exercised greater restraint.

He said law enforcement officers must properly identify themselves and adhere to due process when effecting an arrest, particularly when dealing with a public official.

“Once arrest is on the table, law enforcement agencies must follow the processes, due diligence, protocols and statutory laws,” he said.

Mr Kumadoe said the events captured on video suggested a breakdown in communication between the officers and the MP, particularly over the officer's identification and the circumstances surrounding the invitation issued to him.

He maintained that a more measured approach could have prevented the confrontation from escalating, stressing that law enforcement officers must remain professional even when faced with resistance.

“In several ways, we could have done both ways. We were a bit more antagonistic, and we overrode the standard protocol. You could see clearly that it became very chaotic and common sense wasn't working,” he added.

His comments follow EOCO's attempted arrest of Mr Baffour Awuah at the Accra High Court, where he was representing Salomey Awity Baffoe, a 40-year-old senior nursing officer who was arrested and remanded in connection with investigations into the TikTok account known as “Ghana Jollof”.

-citinewsroom