Lawyer for Manhyia South Member of Parliament (MP) Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, Samuel Atta Akyea, says his client remains in the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) as questioning continues into alleged financial offences involving SIC Life Savings and Loans.

Mr Baffour Awuah voluntarily reported himself to EOCO on Thursday, October 1, after the Accra High Court issued a warrant authorising his arrest and the search and seizure of documents relevant to the investigation.

He was subsequently placed under arrest.

EOCO has said he is cooperating with investigators, with further interrogation expected to continue on Friday, October 2.

Lawyer questions overnight detention

According to Mr Atta Akyea, his client had been at EOCO for about seven hours and questioned the need to keep him overnight when he had voluntarily reported himself and was cooperating with investigators.

“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 said he would seek his client's release so that he could return to EOCO the following morning if required.

Mr Atta Akyea said Members of Parliament could provide an undertaking that Baffour Awuah would return for further questioning.

He, however, acknowledged that EOCO had formally placed the MP under arrest and that his lawyers could not remove him from the agency's custody.

“We don't have the lawful powers to wrest him from where he is. I wish I had it. But now he is in the premises of EOCO. Who am I to say that I'm taking him out of the grips of EOCO home?”

Lawyer rejects allegations

Mr Atta Akyea also rejected the allegations being investigated by EOCO, saying the transactions involving SIC Life arose from legitimate legal work undertaken by his client.

EOCO is investigating alleged unauthorised financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans, with suspected offences including causing financial loss, dissipation of public funds and money laundering.

Mr Atta Akyea said the transaction involved SIC Life engaging his client's law firm to recover an investment from Equity Savings and Loans.

He said the matter went through the courts and resulted in a judgment and subsequent legal steps to recover the investment.

“It is legitimate in the sense that a judgment was handed down, and it's legitimate because an entry of judgment was filed.”

He also disputed the reported value of the investment, saying the entry of judgment showed about GH¢10 million, rather than GH¢14 million.

“The entry of judgment does not show that it's 14 million. It's 10 million, which is the investment plus the interest.”

He questioned whether the matter fell within EOCO's mandate.

“So if you look at it from every perspective, this is not a remit of EOCO, I'm afraid.”

Documents and searches

Mr Atta Akyea said investigators had already obtained the documents they were seeking.

He said a particular file relating to Baffour Awuah's legal work for SIC Life was not found at his residence because it had already been surrendered to SIC Life, which he identified as the complainant.

“What they were looking for, they had it. And it was not in his house. They went to his office.”

He said his client had told investigators that the file had already been surrendered to SIC Life.

MP's condition

Mr Atta Akyea also said Baffour Awuah had not eaten or taken water while in custody.

“He's not eating and he's not drinking any water.”

He stopped short of describing the situation as a hunger strike, saying the MP was distressed by the circumstances.

The allegations against Baffour Awuah remain subject to investigation and the ongoing legal process.