Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah Detained as EOCO Probes Alleged SIC Life Financial Misconduct

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, has been detained by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following a voluntary appearance before the agency on October 1, 2026. The MP’s surrender came a day after an Accra High Court issued a warrant for his arrest and authorized searches of his properties. The investigation centers on alleged unauthorized financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited, with charges including criminal conspiracy, money laundering, causing financial loss to the state, and tax-related offences. The case has intensified following reports of an alleged ‘triangle scheme’ that reportedly implicates another New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP from the Ashanti Region and Amma Frimpomaa Dwumah, the former Managing Director of SIC Life.

Legal tensions escalated earlier in the week when Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai clarified that EOCO sought the court warrant after the MP allegedly failed to respond to multiple invitations dating back to February 2026. This followed a high-profile incident on September 23, where EOCO officials unsuccessfully attempted to take the MP into custody at the High Court, a move the MP and his legal team initially described as an attempted kidnapping. Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu defended the agency’s actions, asserting that parliamentary status should not serve as a shield against law enforcement. He noted that video evidence of the encounter showed officials acting with professional restraint and emphasized that all citizens are equal before the law.

In the hours following his detention, EOCO investigators escorted Mr. Baffour Awuah to his former law firm, Sarkodie, Baffour Awuah and Partners, as well as his residence, to execute search warrants for relevant documents. The MP’s lead counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, has criticized the overnight detention as unnecessary and questioned the criminal nature of the probe. Atta Akyea argued that the transactions in question were legitimate legal fees for debt recovery work and that the specific SIC Life files sought by investigators had already been returned to the client. He further raised concerns regarding the breach of confidentiality for other legal clients and disputed the financial figures provided by EOCO, claiming the investment under review was GH₵10 million rather than the GH₵14 million alleged by the state.

The investigation took a dramatic turn when three individuals, including one woman, were arrested for allegedly flying drones over the EOCO headquarters without authorization during the MP’s interrogation. While the motives behind the drone flight remain under investigation, the incident raised security concerns at the agency's headquarters. Meanwhile, political reactions have been sharp, with Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin urging EOCO to avoid the ‘persecution’ of political opponents. He called on the agency to instead focus its resources on identifying the financiers behind large-scale drug trafficking networks, citing recent significant cocaine seizures linked to Ghana.

As of now, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah remains in custody and is reportedly cooperating with investigators, though his legal team expressed concern for his well-being after he reportedly declined food and water during his initial detention. EOCO has issued a statement urging the public to refrain from speculation and to allow the due process of the law to determine culpability. The agency has pledged to conduct a thorough and professional inquiry into the alleged financial misconduct at SIC Life, with further updates expected as the case proceeds to court.