The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has expressed grave concern following an attempt by officers of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to arrest Manhyia South Member of Parliament, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, on the premises of the Accra High Court Complex.
The incident occurred on 23 September 2026, whilst Mr Baffour Awuah was attending court to represent a client in his professional capacity as a legal practitioner.
In a formal statement released in Accra on 24 September 2026 and jointly signed by GBA National President Mrs Efua Ghartey and National Secretary Kwaku Gyau Baffour Esq., the Association condemned the action, pointing to widely circulated footage of the confrontation. The GBA also noted that another lawyer, Mr Enoch Anhwere Afoakwa, was reportedly assaulted during the commotion by a woman later identified by EOCO as one of its officers.
Addressing the legal and constitutional implications of the operation, the GBA stressed that law enforcement actions must never undermine professional independence or bypass established procedure.
“While no individual is above the law, any investigation or enforcement action involving a member of the legal profession especially when they are representing clients, must be conducted strictly in accordance with constitutional guarantees, applicable legal procedures, and respect for professional independence,” the statement read.
The Bar warned that arbitrary tactics risk instilling fear across the legal sector. “Attempts to circumvent these safeguards create the perception of intimidation and may have a chilling effect on the legal profession as a whole,” the Association stated, adding that interference with a lawyer’s duties “risks undermining public confidence in the justice system and the rule of law.”
The statement highlighted a troubling pattern of interference, referencing previous public warnings issued by GBA President Mrs Efua Ghartey. During the 2025 Annual GBA Conference in Wa, Mrs Ghartey remarked: “The Bar must never waiver in its role as the voice of the voiceless. Unfortunately, recent incidents affecting lawyers in the performance of their duties, have left much to be desired. Lawyers should be at liberty to defend clients of their choice without being heckled.”
Mrs Ghartey further recalled an earlier incident cited during the Virtual Mid-Year Conference on 5 June 2026, involving former GBA Vice President Justice Minka Premo and an associate who were arrested and held overnight at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI, now NIB) while defending a client.
“The female lawyer, a nursing mother was separated from her baby and was initially unable to feed her baby,” Mrs Ghartey had noted, questioning why security agencies fail to issue standard invitations rather than resorting to detainment. “We trust that such agencies will keep faith with the creed of Ghana’s Constitution—freedom and justice in order that the rendering of professional services to the citizenry is not hampered.”
Concluding its position, the GBA called on EOCO and state security agencies to adhere strictly to fairness, due process, and constitutional rights in carrying out their statutory mandates.
“The rule of law demands not only that justice be done, but that it be seen to be done. The independence of the legal profession is a cornerstone of every democratic society and must be protected at all times,” the Association concluded.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
