The political feud between two sitting Members of Parliament has escalated into a full-blown legal and public confrontation, with Akwatia MP Bernard Bediako Baidoo releasing detailed allegations of what he claims is Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) evidence showing that Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah received payments from all three companies involved in a single debt-recovery case.
Speaking on Accra FM on Monday, September 28, 2026, Baidoo doubled down on his claims following a Writ of Summons filed against him by Baffour Awuah. The Akwatia MP said the recent attempt to arrest Baffour Awuah by EOCO was not, as the Manhyia South MP had claimed, connected to his representation of Salomey Awiti Baffoe in the ongoing “Ghana Jollof” case.
“He is wanted by EOCO for some wrongdoing before he became an MP, when he was the lawyer of SIC Life Insurance Limited,” Baidoo said.
The SIC Life Case: A GH¢6 Million Loan and a GH¢25 Million Property
At the centre of the allegations is a debt-recovery case dating back to the Akufo-Addo administration. According to Baidoo, Baffour Awuah, through his law firm Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners, was engaged by SIC Life Insurance Limited to recover a GH¢6 million loan owed by Equity Micro-Finance.
“When he was going to court, SIC gave him GH¢280,000,” Baidoo said. “The court awarded a judgment in favour of SIC for the sale of the microfinance company’s property, which was worth GH¢25 million. The auctioneer the court appointed to sell the property had even gotten a buyer, and the deal was almost done.”
However, Baidoo alleged that a company called Eco Swiss entered the frame, claiming it had purchased the land from Equity Micro-Finance long ago. “The matter went to court, and before the court could even determine the true owner of the land, Baffour Awuah went to settle the matter of the state entity. As we speak, there is no board decision which permitted him to do that.”
Baidoo claimed Baffour Awuah settled with Eco Swiss for GH¢5 million — against a loan principal of GH¢6 million and a judgment valued at GH¢14 million — without board approval. “These are things Baffour Awuah signed as a solicitor. But as a solicitor, he has to prove here he got the authority to renegotiate a judgment of GH¢14 million,” he said.
The Payments: GH¢2.2 Million from Eco Swiss, GH¢600,000 from Equity
The Akwatia MP then laid out the payments he said EOCO documents show were made to Baffour Awuah. “After this, Eco Swiss gave Baffour Awuah GH¢2.2 million. What was this for? You were not their lawyer… All of these are from EOCO documents. As if this was not enough, the people from Equity also gave him over GH¢600,000.”
Baidoo further alleged that Amma Frimpomaa Dwumah, the then Managing Director of SIC Life Insurance, was given GH¢1 million by Baffour Awuah and his law firm — an allegation that, if proven, would suggest a kickback arrangement. Under Dwumah’s leadership, SIC had engaged Baffour Awuah’s private law firm despite the existence of the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Department, which is structurally responsible for representing state entities in debt-recovery litigation.
The February 2026 Invitations
According to EOCO, the investigation into Baffour Awuah predates his arrest attempt at the Accra High Court on September 23, 2026. The agency has said it invited the MP twice in February 2026 to assist with an ongoing investigation but that he failed to honour the invitations.
The first invitation, dated February 10, 2026, was addressed to Baffour Awuah in his capacity as Senior Partner of Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners. It read: “This office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities at SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited and your input into the matter is of immense importance.”
The MP was requested to report to the Executive Director or his representative on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 10 am at EOCO’s Head Office in Accra. EOCO delivered the invitation confidentially, out of respect for the MP. Rather than respond directly, Baffour Awuah forwarded the letter to the Clerk of Parliament — despite the fact that the conduct under investigation occurred before he became an MP.
On February 27, 2026, EOCO’s Executive Director, Raymond Archer, wrote back to the MP protesting his actions and stressing that the invitation had been sent to him in his capacity as a partner of his law firm and not as an MP. “Please take notice that any correspondence from the Clerk of Parliament on this matter will not be recognized since the Office is not aware of any established protocol or law which prevents the said person from honoring a lawful invitation. Also note that failure to honor this invitation may leave us with no choice than to compel him.”
The Attempted Arrest and Its Fallout
On September 23, 2026, EOCO officers attempted to arrest Baffour Awuah at the Accra High Court premises, where he had appeared as counsel for Salomey Baffoe Awiti in the “Ghana Jollof” case. The incident, captured on video, showed an EOCO official moving towards the MP’s vehicle as it was leaving the court premises. EOCO later confirmed the attempted arrest, stating the operation was stopped after the situation escalated and officers assessed that continuing could endanger public safety.
The attempted arrest drew sharp criticism from legal practitioners and civil society. Dr. Palgrave Boakye Danquah, an NPP member, said on GTV’s Current Agenda on September 26 that Ghana was “almost going back to the days of the PNDC era.” He questioned the decision to approach a moving vehicle. “Look at the manner in which the lady attempted to open the door of a vehicle that is moving. What would have happened?”
Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu argued that no citizen is under obligation to assist EOCO in investigations. Former Tamale Central MP Inusah Fuseini said EOCO should have secured a warrant before attempting the arrest. The Ghana Bar Association also criticised the conduct of the arrest at the court premises.
Baffour Awuah’s Response: A Defamation Suit
Baffour Awuah has denied all allegations. In a Facebook post, he questioned whether EOCO was responsible for regulating lawyers’ professional fees. “When that propaganda failed, they now claim that I charged unapproved professional fees,” he wrote.
On September 28, 2026, he filed a Writ of Summons against Baidoo and broadcaster Abubakar Alhassan, popularly known as Blakk Rasta, over statements published on September 26, 2026, which he says damaged his reputation. He opted for civil court relief instead of pursuing criminal charges for false news publication.
The Manhyia South MP has also claimed that he was not under investigation personally — rather, a company his law firm represents. He said a senior partner at the firm attended EOCO and answered questions on the firm’s behalf. He disputed aspects of EOCO’s account, stating that the February invitation was addressed to the senior partner of his law firm and that a representative of the firm subsequently cooperated with the investigation. He also claimed the attempted arrest was an “act of provocation” and that the EOCO official had not provided evidence that she was acting on behalf of the agency.
A ‘Cooked Debt’ Scandal?
The allegations have revived scrutiny of the circumstances under which a state-owned enterprise engaged a private law firm — one linked to a member of the then-ruling party — instead of relying on the Attorney General’s Civil Division.
Background checks on Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners suggest the firm had never handled a case that paid even GH¢200,000 before the SIC Life arrangement. The deal involved a 15 percent commission on all recovered sums, from which Baffour Awuah reportedly recovered more than GH₵8 million for SIC, translating to a commission of at least GH₵1.2 million.
Critics have described the arrangement as a “create-loot-and-share” scheme, in which a state entity’s MD offered a sweetheart deal to a private lawyer linked to the ruling party, who then shared a portion of the commission with the MD.
What Happens Next
The defamation suit is now before the High Court, and EOCO’s investigation into the SIC Life matter remains ongoing. For now, the case raises significant questions about the intersection of political power, legal practice and state-owned enterprise governance — and about whether the payments detailed by Baidoo can be substantiated as evidence of wrongdoing or simply represent legitimate, if unusual, legal fees. The coming weeks will determine whether the fight between the two MPs plays out in the courtroom, the public sphere, or both.
