OccupyGhana has raised concerns over the use of account freezes, bail conditions, travel restrictions and repeated reporting requirements by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), arguing that investigative measures must not amount to punishment before charges are filed.
The pressure group said the agencies have a duty to investigate suspected corruption and economic crimes, but must exercise their powers within constitutional and legal limits.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 30, OccupyGhana said the prolonged imposition of restrictions on persons under investigation could undermine their constitutional rights if not subjected to appropriate safeguards.
“Investigation must not become punishment,” the group stated, stressing that allegations of wrongdoing should be investigated thoroughly while suspects retain their legal protections.
OccupyGhana cited the cases of Sesi-Edem Company Limited, former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba and Power Distribution Services (PDS) Ghana Ltd as examples of what it considers excessive use of investigative powers.
In the PDS case, the group said about 66 bank accounts belonging to the company and individuals associated with it had been frozen since April 2026.
It further alleged that bail conditions imposed on two PDS officials were increased from GH¢50 million to GH¢100 million each within a week, despite no charges having been filed against them at the time of its statement.
The group also questioned the reported detention of two lawyers who accompanied the PDS officials to the BNI and claims that accounts belonging to the lawyers and their law firm were subsequently frozen.
OccupyGhana said the PDS officials and the lawyers had also reportedly been required to report to EOCO three times a week since May, with the investigation still ongoing without charges being filed.
On the case involving Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, the group raised concerns over his arrest after a court had granted him permission to travel for medical treatment.
It also referred to the freezing of accounts belonging to Sesi-Edem Company Limited in connection with a contractual dispute, arguing that investigative powers should not be used in circumstances where the underlying issues may require resolution through other legal processes.
OccupyGhana acknowledged the importance of investigating allegations involving public funds and economic crimes, but said the seriousness of an allegation should not, on its own, justify indefinite restrictions on the rights of persons under investigation.
The group called on investigative agencies to prosecute suspects where sufficient evidence has been established and to lift restrictions where the evidence does not support further action.
It also urged authorities to ensure that bail conditions are reasonable and that persons detained are brought before a court within the constitutionally prescribed period.
OccupyGhana further called on the Attorney-General to review the use of account-freezing orders, agency-imposed bail and reporting requirements in ongoing investigations.
It urged Parliament’s Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and Defence and Interior Committee to examine how EOCO and the BNI exercise their investigative powers.
The group said respect for due process should not be viewed as an obstacle to the fight against corruption, arguing that adherence to the law strengthens prosecutions and ensures that the recovery of public funds is conducted lawfully.
It maintained that persons found to have misused or misappropriated public funds should be prosecuted irrespective of their political affiliation, but insisted that investigative agencies must themselves operate within the legal framework they are mandated to enforce.
