A senior member of Parliament’s Subsidiary Legislation Committee has questioned the decision to arrest former presidential staffer Dennis Miracles Aboagye on his return home, saying the move was unnecessary.
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, who serves as Vice-Chair of the committee, said Mr Aboagye had been cooperating with investigators long before the arrest at the airport.
Mr Aboagye, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) member and former spokesperson for the party’s 2024 presidential campaign, was detained by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after arriving in the country.
The arrest is tied to ongoing investigations into alleged financial matters.
According to Mr Awuah, information available to him shows Mr Aboagye had been under EOCO investigation for about a year and had complied throughout.
He made the comments on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme, hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini, on Saturday, July 18.
Mr Awuah argued that Mr Aboagye had not obstructed the investigation or ignored any directive from EOCO, leaving no reason for him to be picked up at the airport.
“If you look at the chronology of events, you will come to the conclusion that the arrest at the airport was not necessary because he has been cooperating with you,” he said.
He drew a line between how investigators treat those who cooperate and those who do not.
“It is when somebody has not been cooperating with you that you do things to secure the person’s cooperation,” he added.
Mr Awuah also took issue with the bail terms set for Mr Aboagye.
“Secondly, when you look at the chronology of events, you will also come to the conclusion that the imposition of the GH₵50 million as a bail condition was also very unreasonable,” he said.
The figure has become one of the main points of contention around the case.
EOCO is the state body tasked with handling economic and organised crime, including financial investigations that can lead to arrests and prosecutions.
Mr Awuah’s remarks add to a wider debate over how members of the NPP have been treated by investigators in recent weeks.
In earlier comments, he said the party was not opposed to accountability but was concerned about the manner in which its members were handled after arrests.
The party lost the 2024 presidential election, and Mr Aboagye was among its most visible campaign figures during that contest.
His arrest on arrival drew immediate reaction from within the party, with some members describing it as heavy-handed.
Mr Awuah did not say whether the committee or the party planned to take any formal action over the arrest or the bail conditions.
EOCO has not publicly responded to the specific criticism raised by Mr Awuah on the programme.
The investigation into the alleged financial matters remains open.
Source: JOY
Related Stories
NPP Youth Organiser Outlines Major TESCON Reforms Implemented During His Tenure
NPP’s first-time voter strategy delivered over 50% support for Bawumia – Salam Mustapha
EOCO detention has strengthened my resolve – Miracles Aboagye vows to lead NPP communications drive
GH¢650bn spent in two years but 24-hour economy has no beneficiaries – Oppong Nkrumah
Lindsey Graham’s Death Leaves Fate of Russia Sanctions Bill Uncertain
