Samuel Atta Akyea questions EOCO’s probe into SIC Life settlement at Manhyia South MP’s firm
Manhyia South MP’s lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea challenges EOCO’s criminalisation of a civil settlement involving SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited, raising constitutional and confidentiality concerns.
Samuel Atta Akyea, the lawyer representing Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has publicly questioned whether an unfavourable settlement automatically becomes a criminal matter after EOCO searched his law firm as part of an investigation into SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited.
He argued that a settlement’s terms being disagreeable to one side does not, by itself, constitute criminal conduct, asking "How does a bad settlement translate into criminality?" during EOCO’s search of the MP’s legal office, which was conducted over alleged unauthorised financial transactions linked to SIC Life.
Atta Akyea clarified that Mr Baffour Awuah acted as SIC Life’s legal counsel and followed client instructions, stressing that the party itself had signed the settlement and surrendered the relevant file to the client, making its continued presence at the law firm unnecessary and improper for EOCO to search.
Expressing deep concern, he described law firms as "holy chambers of confidentiality" and warned that accessing unrelated client files could breach legal protections, emphasising the urgency of safeguarding personal data.
He confirmed that EOCO’s search of the firm remains ongoing and will be followed by a search of Mr Baffour Awuah’s private residence, adding that the MP has not received any formal invitation from EOCO and would honour it if extended.
Bosom Freho MP emphasised full cooperation, while St Rankings MP Kwame Asare Bediako reiterated support for the prosecution of drug kingpins if investigations are not misused to target political figures.
EOCO has secured a court warrant authorising searches of both the law firm and the MP’s residence as part of its broader probe into financial irregularities involving SIC Life, now formally charging Baffour Awuah with money laundering and loss of public funds for alleged misconduct in the SIC Life transaction.
