General News of 2026-09-23
Afenyo-Markin appeals to Chief Justice to review arrests on court premises
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called on the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, to examine the practice of law enforcement agencies attempting to arrest suspects within court premises.
His call follows an alleged attempt by officers believed to be from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to arrest Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah after he appeared at the Accra High Court on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Tensions escalate as EOCO officers attempt to arrest NPP MP and lawyer
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament, Afenyo-Markin said the incident, if confirmed, raises questions about how investigating agencies conduct their operations within court premises.
“Honourable Baffour is a lawyer by profession. Upon his account, he went to defend his client in court, then just after exiting the courtroom on the court premises, EOCO appeared there, laid an ambush and made an attempt to arrest him,” he said.
The Minority Leader said the Chief Justice should establish whether investigating agencies have the authority to enter court premises specifically to arrest a suspect or accused person.
“I think the justice delivery system, our Chief Justice, must look at this, whether or not EOCO or any investigating agency is allowed to enter court premises with the sole aim of accosting a suspect or an accused person. That must be looked at in context,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin also questioned what he described as a departure from the usual procedure followed when state agencies require Members of Parliament to appear before them.
He said institutions including the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the Ghana Police Service and EOCO are expected to formally write to the Speaker of Parliament when they need an MP to appear before an investigating body.
According to him, the Speaker then refers such requests to Parliament’s leadership, which works with the legal directorate to make the necessary arrangements for the MP to appear.
“There is nothing like preferential treatment, but because of the nature of the MP's work, that procedure has been set in place, and that is what all state security agencies observe,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin said the established procedure was intended to ensure that the duties of MPs are not unnecessarily disrupted while allowing state institutions to carry out their investigations.
He therefore questioned why the alleged attempt to arrest Mr Baffour Awuah was carried out at the court premises instead of through the established parliamentary process.
“So, the question is: what has changed?” he asked.
NA/VPO
