An Accra High Court has issued a warrant authorising the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to arrest the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, and to search for and seize documents connected to an ongoing investigation. The warrant was issued on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
The investigation concerns alleged financial irregularities at SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited, a former client of the MP’s law firm, Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners.
The court order comes exactly one week after EOCO officers tried and failed to arrest the MP at the Accra High Court complex on September 23, an incident that ended in a chaotic confrontation and drew criticism from the Ghana Bar Association.
Why EOCO sought the arrest warrant for Baffour Awuah
According to EOCO’s lawyers, officers of the anti-graft agency had “exhausted reasonable means of securing the legislator’s voluntary attendance.”
EOCO also told the court it feared that documents relevant to the investigation could be “concealed, altered or destroyed.” That concern underpins the search-and-seize part of the warrant.
The warrant therefore covers two actions:
- Arrest of Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah by EOCO
- Search for and seizure of documents relevant to the investigation
EOCO investigation into SIC Life Savings and Loans
EOCO’s probe focuses on SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited. The MP’s firm was engaged by the company to recover funds it had invested with Equity Savings and Loans.
According to the MP’s account, the amount invested was about GH¢3.5 million, which grew to roughly GH¢14 million before the matter was settled.
- Amount SIC Life invested with Equity Savings and Loans: about GH¢3.5 million
- Amount before settlement: about GH¢14 million
- Law firm engaged: Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners
Timeline of the EOCO and Manhyia South MP dispute
- February 10, 2026: EOCO writes to the Senior Partner of the firm, asking him to report on February 17.
- February 18, 2026: Baffour Awuah informs EOCO he is now an MP and refers the letter to the Clerk to Parliament for advice.
- March 4, March 18 and April 30, 2026: A representative of the firm appears before EOCO; a formal written statement is submitted on April 30.
- September 23, 2026: EOCO officers attempt to arrest the MP at the Accra High Court complex, but the arrest is not completed.
- September 30, 2026: Accra High Court issues the arrest and search warrant.
What EOCO said after the failed arrest attempt
After the September 23 incident, EOCO said the MP had been invited twice in February 2026 but did not honour the invitations. It said the arrest was not completed because further action “could have endangered public safety.”
The office also said it would assess the conduct of two persons who allegedly helped the MP leave, using video evidence. It added that “membership of Parliament did not, by itself, bring an investigation to an end or place an individual beyond the reach of the law,” while stressing that it respects the constitutional privileges of MPs.
Baffour Awuah disputes EOCO’s account
The Manhyia South MP insists he has never been the subject of the investigation. In a statement, he said it is SIC Life Savings and Loans, not him, that is under investigation.
He says a lawful representative of his firm cooperated with EOCO on three occasions and provided the information and written statement requested, after which there was “no further invitation.”
The court order comes while Parliament is on indefinite adjournment, following Speaker Bagbin’s ruling on the Minority’s narcotics probe motion.
Ghana Bar Association concerns
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) raised concerns after the September 23 attempt, noting that Baffour Awuah, a lawyer, was at court representing a client at the time.
The GBA said lawyers “should be at liberty to defend clients of their choice without being heckled,” and that arrests on court premises undermine the authority of the courts. It added that “the rule of law demands not only that justice be done, but that it be seen to be done.”
What the warrant means for the Manhyia South MP
With a court-backed warrant, EOCO now has legal authority to arrest the MP and search for documents, rather than relying on invitations for voluntary attendance.
For Baffour Awuah, the dispute shifts firmly into the courts, where his position that his firm already cooperated with investigators is likely to be tested.
What happens next
EOCO has not publicly said when it will execute the warrant. Any response from the MP, his lawyers, the Minority caucus or Parliament to the court order is expected in the coming days.
Details of the ruling, including the name of the judge, had not been made public at the time of writing. GhanaTrends will update this story as more information becomes available.
Key details at a glance
- Who: Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, MP for Manhyia South
- What: Warrant for EOCO to arrest him and search for and seize documents
- Issued by: Accra High Court
- When: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
- Investigation: Alleged financial irregularities at SIC Life Savings and Loans
- Earlier event: Failed arrest attempt at the Accra High Court on September 23, 2026
- MP’s position: Says he is not the subject of the probe and his firm cooperated three times
Background Video: High Court Issues Warrant for EOCO to Arrest Manhyia South MP Baffour Awuah, Seize Documents
FAQs
Why is EOCO arresting Baffour Awuah?
EOCO says it has exhausted reasonable efforts to get the Manhyia South MP to appear voluntarily in its investigation into SIC Life Savings and Loans, and fears relevant documents could be destroyed.
Who issued the arrest warrant for the Manhyia South MP?
An Accra High Court issued the warrant on September 30, 2026. It authorises EOCO to arrest the MP and search for and seize documents.
What is the SIC Life Savings and Loans case about?
EOCO is investigating alleged financial irregularities at SIC Life Savings and Loans. Baffour Awuah’s former law firm was engaged to recover about GH¢3.5 million the company had invested with Equity Savings and Loans.
The Accra High Court’s warrant marks a major escalation in EOCO’s months-long effort to question Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah over the SIC Life Savings and Loans investigation. EOCO says voluntary efforts have failed, while the MP maintains he was never the target and that his firm fully cooperated. How and when the warrant is executed — and how Parliament and the MP respond — will be the next key developments to watch. More details are available from the Economic and Organised Crime Office.
