EOCO Arrests Baffour Awuah as SIC Probe Moves to Home and Office Searches

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, has been arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) — stepping into the centre of an escalating investigation tied to SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited.

The arrest came this morning, Thursday October 1, after the MP presented himself voluntarily at EOCO’s Accra headquarters around 10 a.m. He was taken into custody as part of ongoing inquiries, though EOCO confirmed he is cooperating with the process.

Shortly after his arrest, investigators executed search warrants at two key locations: his private residence and the premises of his legal practice, Sarkodie, Baffour Awuah and Partners — confirmed by Ghana Broadcasting Corporation reporting. These searches form part of a court-authorised evidence-gathering push, following an arrest and search warrant granted by the High Court on September 30.

What EOCO is Probing
The investigation centres on serious allegations: criminal conspiracy, financial loss to SIC Savings and Loans, money laundering, tax-related offences, and associated matters. EOCO stresses these remain allegations under investigation — the arrest itself does not amount to proof of wrongdoing.

In a statement issued today, the agency pledged to examine all available evidence, follow every legitimate lead, and uphold the constitutional rights of those involved. It also urged the public not to jump to conclusions about guilt before the full investigative and legal processes have run their course.

How the Standoff Unfolded
Tensions boiled over publicly on September 23, when EOCO officers attempted to arrest Baffour Awuah at the Accra High Court complex. That operation was later called off — EOCO said it acted to avoid endangering public safety.

According to the agency, it had twice invited the MP for questioning back in February, but received no response. When EOCO went before the High Court to secure its warrant, it told the judge previous attempts to get his attendance had failed, and raised concerns that relevant documents might be hidden, altered, or destroyed. The court ordered the arrest be carried out through the Speaker of Parliament — a detail reported by the Ghana News Agency and published by Ghana Business News.

The MP’s Counter-Account
Baffour Awuah has strongly disputed claims he refused to cooperate. He says the February invitations were directed at him in his capacity as a partner at his law firm — which acts as legal counsel to SIC Life Savings and Loans, the entity at the heart of the probe.

Upon becoming an MP, he says he referred the matter to the Clerk to Parliament for guidance. His version of events: firm representatives attended EOCO meetings on March 4, March 18, and April 30 — supplying information and a formal written statement — and he received no further communications from the agency after that.

These remain his stated position; EOCO has not publicly validated this account.

A critical gap persists: EOCO has not spelled out precisely what information it sought personally from Baffour Awuah that was not covered by his law firm’s appearances. The agency has also not released details of specific transactions, the scale of any alleged financial loss, or exactly how the MP is said to be linked to each suspected offence — leaving the full basis of the allegations unclear to the public.

Thursday’s searches mark a significant next step, yet authorities have not disclosed what — if anything — was recovered. It is vital to note: neither the arrest nor the searches confirm guilt, nor do they resolve the conflicting narratives between the MP and the investigators.

EOCO has said it will release further updates when appropriate and legally permitted. For now, this remains an active, developing investigation — with competing claims still awaiting full testing against evidence.