Lawyer for Manhyia South Member of Parliament Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has disclosed the specific charges brought against his client by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM on October 1, 2026, Samuel Atta Akyea said EOCO had formally charged the Manhyia South MP over alleged financial offences connected to transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans.

According to Atta Akyea, the charges include causing financial loss to the state and money laundering.

“Yes indeed. I’m talking about loss of public funds and also causing loss and then money laundering,” he said.

The lawyer, however, strongly disputed the basis of the allegations and maintained that his client’s role in the transaction was strictly connected to legitimate legal services provided to SIC Life.

He argued that there was a clear documentary trail showing that the law firm acted on the instructions of SIC Life and followed established legal procedures in seeking to recover an investment.

“Nothing that they’ve said calls for such a charge. A lawyer has delivered a service. There is a paper trail to that effect. Documents filed in the court of competent jurisdiction. How can you say that is criminality? I can’t get it,” Atta Akyea said.

Baffour Awuah, Unnamed NPP MP, ex-SIC Life MD: Inside EOCO's alleged triangle scheme

He explained that SIC Life had engaged his client’s law firm to assist in recovering an investment from Equity Savings and Loans.

According to him, the recovery process was pursued through the courts and eventually resulted in a judgment in favour of SIC Life, followed by further legal action to enforce the judgment.

“It is legitimate in the sense that a judgment was handed down, and it’s legitimate because an entry of judgment was filed. It is legitimate because they attached the property belonging to the Equity Savings and Loans,” he said.

Atta Akyea said these steps, in his view, demonstrated that the transaction was conducted through formal legal channels rather than through an unlawful arrangement.

He maintained that the available documentation showed the law firm was performing work on behalf of its client and questioned the basis for treating the transaction as a criminal matter.

“So the paper trail is conclusive that the lawyer was working on the case, and how can you say somebody has been shortchanged?” he asked.

The former Attorney General also challenged the amount reportedly involved in the transaction.

While figures of about GH¢14 million have been associated with the investment under investigation, Atta Akyea said the court documents he had reviewed showed a lower figure.

“In fact, the entry of judgment does not show that it’s 14 million. It’s 10 million, which is the investment plus the interest,” he said.

Based on his interpretation of the transaction and the court records, Atta Akyea further questioned whether the matter properly falls within EOCO’s statutory mandate.

“So if you look at it from every perspective, this is not a remit of EOCO, I’m afraid,” he said.

EOCO’s investigation centres on alleged unauthorised financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans.

The office has indicated that the probe relates to suspected financial loss, the alleged dissipation of public funds and suspected money laundering.

The allegations against Baffour Awuah remain allegations and have not been determined by a court.

The MP became the subject of an arrest warrant after the Accra High Court authorised his arrest and the search and seizure of documents considered relevant to EOCO’s investigation.

Baffour Awuah subsequently reported himself to EOCO on Thursday, October 1, 2026, and was taken into custody.

EOCO has said the MP is cooperating with its investigators as the inquiry into the transactions continues.

Inside Ghana’s Abandoned Engineering Powerhouse: What Went Wrong?



AK/AM