Baffour Awuah may spend night in EOCO custody — Lawyer

Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah could spend the night in the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) as investigators continue to question him, his lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, has said.

Mr Atta Akyea said the MP had been at EOCO for about seven hours on Thursday, October 1, after voluntarily reporting to the agency. He questioned why his client was being held for so long, insisting the MP had cooperated fully and should be allowed to go home if questioning could not be concluded that day.

"What is the value in detaining him overnight? What is the value to the state? When the man came here voluntarily, when he went to his office, was he resisting anything? The man is cooperating with you. Why do you want to detain him?" he asked.

The lawyer said he could not confirm whether the MP would be released later in the night, as he remained in EOCO's custody.

Mr Baffour Awuah reported to the agency with Mr Atta Akyea, after which investigators carried out searches at locations linked to him.

His appearance followed an arrest warrant issued by the Accra High Court, after EOCO told the court that earlier efforts to secure his attendance for questioning had been unsuccessful.

The investigation concerns alleged financial transactions involving SIC Life, including a GH¢2.2 million payment said to have been made to the MP's former law firm as legal fees.

Mr Baffour Awuah has denied receiving the GH¢2.2 million and has disputed parts of EOCO's account of its previous attempts to secure his attendance.