A former Minister of Health under the Akufo-Addo administration and former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Bernard Okoe-Boye, has criticised the perceived biases in the country’s arrest procedures.
He suggests that instead of sending individuals to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), whose leadership is appointed by the government, cases should be taken to court to avoid potential biases.
Speaking during a demonstration organised by the opposition New Patriotic Party to protest what they describe as selective justice and state-sponsored intimidation, dubbed: ‘Yɛnnsuro ahunahuna’, to wit we don’t fear intimidation, he said detaining people at EOCO will always come with biases since the appointing authority is political.
“Maybe you have a bias. Now, if they take me to EOCO, and I meet the EOCO boss, is the EOCO boss a neutral person? I’m asking you,” he quizzed.
He continued that if the EOCO boss who is a political appointee is the one that will determine his fate upon arrest, there is the likelihood of bias.
He therefore advocated for sending suspects to court rather than allowing other state security institutions to handle their cases. ‘That’s why I said, to avoid biases and discriminatory treatment, take us to court.”
The former lawmaker cited an instance where journalists could be intimidated by politically exposed persons for personal reasons, stressing that people who falter in their write-ups and utterances should be channeled to the courts.
“…so I beg you, anyone who doesn’t speak well, anyone who doesn’t write well, they don’t deserve handcuffs,” he stated, adding that sending such persons before a judge is punishment enough. “Send them to a judge. If you go before a judge, isn’t that enough punishment? Is a politician supposed to use power to put people in prison?”
The NPP’s protest was largely triggered by the arrest of Kwame Baffoe Agyei, popularly known as Abronye DC, who serves as the NPP’s Bono Regional Chairman. He was detained by the EOCO on September 8, 2025, and charged with offensive conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace, as well as publishing false news.
Beyond Abronye’s case, the demonstration also reflects mounting frustrations over what the party describes as intimidation and harassment of its members.
These include incidents involving high-profile figures such as Bernard Antwi-Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi, and a number of social media activists sympathetic to the NPP.
Protesters are demanding an end to what they view as politically motivated arrests and remands that disproportionately affect opposition members.
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