The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has raised concerns over an attempted arrest of Manhyia South Member of Parliament and lawyer, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, by officers of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) at the Accra High Court Complex.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, when the MP was at the court premises to represent a client. The GBA said the attempt to arrest him, while he was performing his duties as counsel, raised concerns about the protection of lawyers and the proper conduct of law enforcement agencies.
The association in a statement dated Thursday, 24 September, said it had reviewed videos of the incident circulating online and had also taken note of a complaint by another lawyer, Enoch Anhwere Afoakwa, who alleged that he was assaulted by a woman later confirmed by EOCO to be one of its officers.
The GBA said it recognised that no person was above the law, but insisted that enforcement actions involving lawyers representing clients must comply with constitutional guarantees, due process and established legal procedures.
It warned that actions which bypass these safeguards could create a perception of intimidation and undermine lawyers’ ability to represent clients freely.
According to the association, lawyers are essential to the protection of citizens’ rights and access to justice, and incidents involving the profession must therefore be handled in a manner that preserves public confidence in the justice system.
The GBA also cited previous concerns raised by its President, Efua Ghartey, about the treatment of lawyers while carrying out their professional duties.
At the association’s 2025 annual conference in Wa, Mrs Ghartey said lawyers should be free to represent clients of their choice without being heckled or subjected to conduct that could discourage them from providing pro bono services.
She raised similar concerns during the GBA’s virtual mid-year conference on June 5, 2026, following the arrest and overnight detention of former GBA Vice President, Justice Minka Premo, and a female lawyer who had accompanied her to represent a client at the then Bureau of National Investigations.
The GBA has called on EOCO and other relevant agencies to ensure that their actions comply with due process, fairness and constitutional rights.
It said the rule of law requires that justice is not only done but also seen to be done, stressing that the independence of the legal profession is fundamental to the justice system.
