Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has expressed grave concern over an attempted arrest by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) of the Manhyia South Member of Parliament, Nana Agyei Baffour Awah, describing the incident as a troubling development that raises serious questions about respect for the legal profession’s independence.
According to the GBA, the attempted arrest occurred on 23 September 2026 at the Accra High Court Complex, where the MP had gone to represent a client in his capacity as a practising lawyer, an act the Association says makes the circumstances of the attempted arrest particularly concerning.
The GBA noted that widely circulated videos of the incident also captured another lawyer, Mr Enoch Anhwere Afoakwa, complaining of being assaulted during the confrontation. According to the Association.
The individual involved in the alleged assault was subsequently confirmed by EOCO to be one of its officers, adding a further layer of concern to an already troubling episode.
Due Process Must Be Respected
While acknowledging that no individual is above the law, the GBA stressed that any investigation or enforcement action involving a member of the legal profession, particularly while representing a client, must be carried out strictly in line with constitutional guarantees, applicable legal procedures, and respect for professional independence.
The Association warned that attempts to circumvent these safeguards risk creating a perception of intimidation, one that could have a chilling effect on the legal profession as a whole.
It further cautioned that any action appearing to interfere with lawyers’ ability to discharge their professional duties, especially through arbitrary or irregular measures, risks undermining public confidence in the justice system and the broader rule of law.
Echoes Of Past Warnings from GBA Leadership
The GBA statement drew attention to previous remarks made by its current President warning against similar incidents affecting members of the legal profession.
Speaking at the 2025 Annual GBA Conference in Wa, the President had cautioned against unruly treatment of lawyers discharging their professional duties.
“Lawyers should be at liberty to defend clients of their choice without being heckled. Such unruly acts may stifle the provision of pro bono cases by well-meaning lawyers.”
Ghana Bar Association
The Association also referenced remarks made at the Virtual Mid-Year Conference on 5 June 2026, during which the GBA President recounted a separate incident involving a former Vice President of the Bar.
Justice Minka Premo, and his young female associate, who had been arrested and detained overnight while representing a client at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
According to the President’s earlier remarks, the female lawyer involved, a nursing mother, was separated from her baby and was initially unable to feed the child during the detention.
an episode the GBA President described as deeply regrettable and one that raised unanswered questions about why the individuals had not simply been invited for questioning if they were already under investigative scrutiny.
Call For Institutional Accountability
In light of the latest incident, the GBA renewed its call on EOCO and all relevant state institutions and security agencies to ensure that actions taken in the discharge of their duties remain consistent with due process, fairness, and respect for the rights of all persons involved, including members of the legal profession acting in their official capacity.
“The rule of law demands not only that justice be done, but that it be seen to be done.”
Ghana Bar Association
The Association reiterated that the independence of the legal profession represents a cornerstone of any functioning democratic society and must be safeguarded at all times, particularly against actions that could be perceived as targeting lawyers for simply carrying out their professional obligations.
The recurrence of such incidents, spanning from the BNI detention referenced by the GBA President to the recent attempted arrest at the High Court Complex, points to a pattern of tension between law enforcement and investigative agencies and members of the legal profession carrying out client representation.
As the GBA continues to press for accountability from EOCO and other state institutions, the broader legal community will likely be watching closely to see whether concrete steps are taken to prevent similar incidents, and whether the specific allegations of assault raised in this case are formally investigated and addressed by the relevant authorities.
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