The Member of Parliament (MP) for Effia Constituency in the Western Region, Isaac Yaw Boamah-Nyarko, has criticised the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over its handling of the arrest of Manhyia South MP, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, following a High Court order in Accra granting the agency a warrant to arrest the legislator.
The court issued the warrant after EOCO informed it that the office had exhausted all reasonable efforts to secure the MP’s voluntary appearance to assist with ongoing investigations.
Speaking on GH One TV’s Morning Show, GH Today, Boamah-Nyarko described EOCO’s approach as unnecessary sensationalism arguing that state institutions must operate strictly within the laws and regulations that govern their work, especially when dealing with a Member of Parliament.
“This whole sensationalism by EOCO is unwarranted. It is completely unnecessary…knowing that, of course, if you want to arrest or invite a Member of Parliament, there are clearly laid down necessities of procedures that would not require such unnecessary hullabaloo on it,” he said.
Boamah-Nyarko alleged that EOCO had earlier made a “bizarre attempt” to forcefully arrest the MP without following due process and without an arrest warrant.
He claimed a woman who introduced herself as being from EOCO failed to produce identification, describing the subsequent court application as a face-saving exercise.
“The bizarre attempt by EOCO to forcefully arrest him without following due process and importantly without even having an arrest warrant, and the lady who introduced herself as a member or coming from EOCO failing to produce an ID of herself… are all culminating in this face-saving attempt by EOCO to now go to court and secure an arrest warrant in this regard,” he stated.
The Law maker emphasised that state institutions are bound by the same laws and regulations that apply to all citizens.
He also cautioned against the use of the state’s coercive powers to intimidate individuals or create an impression of guilt before any appearance before investigators or the courts.
“We have to place on record that state institutions should know that they are governed by the same regulations and laws and acts that are passed. And so if they want to do their work, they should live above this kind of exercising unnecessary force, exercising using the coercive powers of the state to intimidate citizens and try to make it appear as if people are even guilty before they appear before them and also before the court,” Boamah-Nyarko said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
