SIAW MADELA, POLITICAL ANALYST: EOCO’S ATTEMPT TO ARREST MANHYIA SOUTH MP SHOWS A LACK OF COMMON SENSE

Political Analyst Siaw Madela has criticised the circumstances surrounding the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO)’s attempted arrest of Manhyia South Member of Parliament, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, describing the incident as a situation that showed a “lack of common sense.” The incident occurred on September 23, 2026, at the Accra High Court premises, where the MP had appeared as counsel for Salomey Baffoe Awiti. Video footage showed an EOCO official attempting to prevent the MP from leaving the court premises. EOCO later explained that the attempted arrest was connected to an ongoing investigation and said the MP had been invited twice in February 2026 but had not honoured the invitations. The Office said the attempted arrest was one of the lawful steps taken to secure his attendance. However, Baffour Awuah disputed EOCO’s account, saying the invitation had been directed to his law firm and that a representative of the firm had subsequently cooperated with EOCO and provided the information requested. Against this background, Siaw Madela argues that the manner in which the attempted arrest was carried out at the court premises raises serious questions about judgment and procedure. His comments focus on whether the situation could have been handled in a more appropriate and orderly manner while respecting both the authority of EOCO and the constitutional position of Parliament. EOCO has maintained that parliamentary membership does not place an individual beyond investigation, while also stating that it would respect parliamentary privileges and constitutional protections. citinewsroom.com The incident has therefore generated public discussion about Law enforcement procedures, parliamentary privilege, and the appropriate conduct of arrests around court premises.*