Lawyer slams EOCO over 'disregard' for court order in Council of State Member case

Renowned legal practitioner Samson Lardy Ayenini, has thrown his weight behind the Volta Regional House of Chiefs in its call for the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to strictly adhere to the rule of law in its ongoing dealings with a Council of State member Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah Atokple.

Speaking on the matter on his Newsfile show on Joy News on April 11, 2026, Samson Lardy Ayenini did not mince words, describing EOCO’s conduct as “a chilling masterclass in institutional lawlessness."

He argued that it is deeply troubling for a state agency established and empowered by law to enforce legal standards to act in a manner that suggests it is above the very laws it is mandated to uphold.

According to him, EOCO handled the matter “as though it were dealing with a criminal enterprise,” raising significant concerns about procedural fairness and abuse of power.

He emphasised that the agency failed to comply with the legal framework governing its operations, particularly its inability to seek confirmation of its account-freezing order within the mandatory 14-day window, as stipulated under EOCO’s Act, Act 804.

Ayenini further criticised EOCO’s response following the court’s intervention, describing it as “breathtaking defiance.”

Rather than purging its contempt and respecting the finality of the court’s ruling, he noted that the institution doubled down by issuing a press release, labeling an individual as a “person of interest,” and threatening arrest.

He warned that such actions set a dangerous precedent for governance and the justice system.

“When a state institution begins to interpret court orders as optional something it can ignore because its internal investigations carry more weight than judicial authority we exit the realm of the rule of law and enter the realm of whims,” he cautioned.

This position was also expressed by the Volta Regional House of Chiefs on April 7, 2026.

In a statement, the House bemoaned the conduct of the Economic and Organised Crime Office in its dealings with Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple.

The statement acknowledged a High Court ruling that found EOCO to have acted without lawful mandate and in violation of constitutional principles, emphasizing that the decision was clear and unequivocal.

It further condemned EOCO’s continued actions despite the ruling, describing them as a defiance of judicial authority and an affront to the rule of law.

The House urged the agency to respect due process and, where dissatisfied, pursue lawful appellate procedures rather than undermine public confidence in Ghana’s justice system.

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