Manhyia South Member of Parliament and counsel for detained nurse Salomey Baffoe Awiti, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has explained that he drove away from the Accra High Court on Wednesday, September 23, because he feared for his personal safety during a confrontation involving personnel identified by the Economic and Organised Crime Office, EOCO.
The incident unfolded shortly after proceedings concerning the bail application of Ms Baffoe Awiti, when security personnel confronted the legislator outside the court premises. Video footage from the scene showed a tense exchange around the MP’s vehicle before he eventually drove away from the area.
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament after the incident, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah said he sought clarification from the woman who approached him about her identity, the reason for the proposed arrest and whether she possessed an arrest warrant.
According to the legislator, the woman was unable to produce a warrant when he requested one, a development which, he said, intensified his apprehension about the circumstances surrounding the attempted detention.
“I also wanted to know about the arrest warrant, whether she had an arrest warrant. She also couldn’t produce anything,” he said.
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah subsequently alleged that the circumstances reminded him of recent abduction incidents which he claimed were being sponsored by the state. That allegation remains his own account of the encounter and has not been independently established.
“It became obvious to me that it was one of the recent kidnappings that have been going on, which is sponsored by the state,” he alleged.
The Manhyia South MP explained that, faced with what he regarded as an uncertain situation, he decided that leaving the area was necessary to safeguard himself and enable him to continue performing his responsibilities as a legislator, lawyer and family man.
“And so at that point, I needed to defend and protect myself for the benefit of the good people of Manhyia South, who I serve, the minority caucus, my children, and my whole family,” he said.
He further maintained that his decision was connected to his responsibility towards Ms Baffoe Awiti, whom he represents in court, particularly because her continued detention has implications for her children.
“And so at that point, I needed to put myself at a place where I’d be safe so that I could also protect and defend the interest of my client for the benefit of her children, particularly the four year old who is waiting for the release of her mother.”
The legislator said he subsequently proceeded to Parliament, where fellow lawmakers joined him.
“And that is why I had to drive to safety. I’ve come to Parliament, and then my colleagues are behind me, and I thank them very much,” he stated.
He explained that his decision to proceed to Parliament was also influenced by scheduled parliamentary committee duties that he was expected to undertake following the court proceedings.
“So from there, I had to drive to Parliament because I was also required to do committee work in Parliament,” he said.
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah further alleged that the woman and the accompanying personnel attempted to take him into custody while he was travelling towards Parliament.
“And so she attempted to kidnap me whilst I was on my way to Parliament,” he alleged.
The precise circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain disputed. EOCO has confirmed that its officers attempted to arrest the MP, but the agency maintains that the action formed part of lawful measures intended to secure his attendance in connection with an ongoing investigation. EOCO also said the arrest was not completed after the situation escalated and officers determined that further action could have endangered public safety.
The agency has further disclosed that it invited Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah on two occasions in February 2026 to assist with an investigation, but that the invitations were not honoured. EOCO consequently said it took further steps to secure his attendance.
The MP, however, disputes EOCO’s account. He has insisted that he was never personally invited by the agency and has challenged the interpretation of correspondence which EOCO says was directed to him in his capacity as Senior Partner of Sarkodie Baffour Awuah and Partners.
A letter dated February 27, 2026 and signed by EOCO Acting Executive Director Raymond Archer subsequently emerged following Wednesday’s confrontation. The correspondence referred to an earlier invitation dated February 10, 2026 and indicated that the invitation had been addressed to Nana Baffour Awuah in his professional capacity as Senior Partner of the law firm.
EOCO had also expressed disagreement with the forwarding of the invitation to the Clerk of Parliament and warned that failure to comply could lead to measures intended to compel his appearance.
The disagreement therefore centres partly on whether the February correspondence constituted a personal invitation to the MP or communication directed towards the law firm and the capacity in which Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah was being addressed.
The legislator has said that EOCO subsequently dealt with his Managing Partner in relation to the underlying matter involving a private settlement negotiation undertaken by his firm for a savings and loans company.
“From that time, they have been dealing with Theresa, and they have never dealt with me,” he said during an interview on Ekosiisen on Asempa FM.
Wednesday’s confrontation occurred after the High Court proceedings involving Ms Baffoe Awiti, whose bail application was adjourned to Thursday, September 24, after the prosecution requested additional time to respond to the defence application.
Ms Baffoe Awiti is facing allegations connected to the publication of false information associated with the Ghana Jollof TikTok account. The police have previously alleged that she aided the publication of the material, while her defence has challenged the basis for her continued detention.
Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has been publicly involved in the case as her legal representative and has criticised her continued detention.
Following the confrontation, EOCO acknowledged that the MP proceeded to the precincts of Parliament to seek sanctuary, notwithstanding the fact that the House is currently on recess. The agency said it recognises and respects the constitutional privileges and immunities afforded to Members of Parliament and would conduct its operations within the Constitution and applicable legislation.
EOCO nevertheless stressed that parliamentary membership does not automatically terminate an investigation or place an individual beyond the reach of the law. The agency said its investigation involving Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah remains active and that it would review the circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s confrontation, including available video evidence, before determining its subsequent course of action.
The competing accounts from the MP and EOCO leave the central questions surrounding the attempted arrest unresolved, particularly the precise legal basis for the operation, the nature of the February invitations and the circumstances under which the confrontation outside the Accra High Court escalated.
For now, both sides maintain fundamentally different accounts of the encounter, while Ms Baffoe Awiti’s bail proceedings are scheduled to continue before the High Court on Thursday, September 24.
