‘I’ve Never Come Across a Woman That Strong’ – Baffour Awuah Recounts Botched EOCO Arrest

Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has recounted a tense encounter with a woman he says attempted to take him to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following a court proceeding on Wednesday.

The lawyer said the woman approached him after he had spoken to the media and informed him that he was required at EOCO.

According to Mr Awuah, the woman then grabbed his wrist firmly.

“She firmly held my wrist, with the greatest of respect. I’ve never come across a woman that strong before.”

He said her grip was so tight that he had to struggle to free himself.

“She held my hand so tight, so firmly that I had to wriggle myself from her hand.”

Mr Awuah said he offered to drive himself to EOCO, but the woman refused and insisted that he get into their vehicle.

“She was insistent on resisting me from sitting in my car, but would rather arrest me like a common criminal and put me in their car.”

He said he subsequently asked the woman to identify herself and provide proof that she was an EOCO officer, but she allegedly failed to produce an identification card.

“What even shows you are from EOCO? She couldn’t even produce it.”

The incident, he said, raised concerns that he could be the target of an abduction.

“I thought that, look, this is one of the kidnappings that have been going on… this is one of the kidnappings, state-sponsored kidnappings that have been going on, and so I will not sit in the car.”

Mr Awuah stressed that he was not refusing to cooperate with EOCO, but wanted the agency to follow what he described as the proper legal process.

“When EOCO is ready to do the right thing, I will go there. I’m not afraid of anything.”

He also rejected suggestions that he had fled to Parliament to evade a lawful arrest.

“This is an unlawful arrest. This is an unlawful arrest. An attempt to abduct me by persons who don’t want to work with the law, and so it is not wrong if I’m seeking sanctuary.”

He added:

“In fact, you seek sanctuary against kidnappers, and so if I’m seeking sanctuary, it is not wrong.”