Parliament urges release of Manhyia South MP held by EOCO after he turned himself in

Parliament has publicly criticised the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for keeping Manhyia South Member of Parliament Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah in custody, despite the MP voluntarily reporting to investigators earlier this week.

In a statement dated October 3, 2026, the legislature said it was alarmed that Awuah remained detained after he turned himself in on Thursday, October 1. According to multiple reports, the MP went to EOCO after an Accra High Court issued a warrant for his arrest.

Graphic Online’s account said Parliament demanded his immediate release in a statement issued by the parliamentary Director of Media Relations, David Sebastian Damoah. Other reports from media outlets said the legislature asked that due process be followed as the case proceeds.

Why Parliament intervened

Lawmakers’ intervention reflects concerns about the handling of a sitting MP who presented himself to the investigative agency. Parliament emphasised that Awuah cooperated with EOCO when he reported for questioning and that authorities should respect legal safeguards for a member of the legislature.

The statement from Parliament, circulated on October 3, urged EOCO to ensure that any further steps conform to established procedures and to take into account the special considerations that attend prosecution or detention of a parliamentarian.

What is known about the case

Reports agree that Awuah surrendered to EOCO on October 1 after an Accra High Court issued an arrest warrant, and that he has remained in EOCO custody since that date. Details about the allegations against the MP, the basis for the warrant, or the terms of his detention were not disclosed in the statements cited by the media outlets covering the story.

Both the call for Awuah’s immediate release, reported by Graphic Online, and Parliament’s demand for due process, as described by other outlets, signal pressure on EOCO to clarify its reasons for continuing the detention.

What happens next

The news outlets reporting Parliament’s statement did not provide information about any scheduled court appearance or a timeline for resolving the matter. Parliament’s intervention increases public scrutiny and could prompt judicial or administrative action to determine whether the detention should continue.

Because the legislative statement and media coverage rely on limited official detail, questions remain about the next legal steps and the substance of the allegations. Parliament has asked that procedures be applied properly while the case is handled by the relevant authorities.