EOCO Search Of Baffour Awuah’s Law Firm Raises Confidentiality Concerns - Atta Akyea
Lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea raises confidentiality concerns over EOCO’s search of Baffour Awuah’s former law firm and questions the basis of the ongoing investigation.
The lawyer for Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, Samuel Atta Akyea, has questioned why the Economic and Organised Crime Office continues to search his client’s former law firm despite a key file already being surrendered to SIC Life.
Atta Akyea told JoyFM’s Top Story programme that the search at Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners was incomplete as of Thursday, October 1, and a second search is expected at the MP’s residence.
He stressed that the SIC file in question had been handed to the client, making further raids on the firm unnecessary.
The MP was arrested on Thursday after voluntarily reporting to EOCO at around 10am, following months of the office’s attempts to secure his presence.
The investigation centres on allegations of criminal conspiracy, financial loss to SIC Savings and Loans, money laundering, tax offences and related matters.
Atta Akyea warned that searching a law firm risks exposing confidential client information and could expose investigators to legal liability.
“A law firm is a holy chamber of confidentiality where other people’s problems are stored in files. To search it in relation to matters affecting other clients could be problematic,” he argued.
He also questioned the criminal basis of EOCO’s probe into the SIC Life transaction, noting that the settlement agreement was signed voluntarily by his client and should not automatically trigger criminal proceedings.
“How does a settlement voluntarily reached and signed become the basis for criminality?” he asked.
The lawyer further questioned whether EOCO’s mandate extends to acting as a debt collector when a client believes they were short‑changed by a legal settlement.
EOCO confirmed it is probing unauthorised financial transactions linked to SIC Life Savings and Loans, citing suspected financial loss and possible money laundering.
The MP’s arrest followed a High Court warrant authorising seizure of documents deemed relevant to the investigation.
Key political figures have voiced criticisms of the detention, with some calling for parliamentary scrutiny of EOCO’s powers.
