Manhyia South Member of Parliament Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has challenged the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over allegations that GH¢2.2 million from a GH¢5 million transaction was paid to him or his law firm, SBA and Partners.
The MP denied receiving the alleged payment and questioned the basis for describing the amount as an unauthorised professional fee.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, September 26, Mr Baffour Awuah said the allegations against him appeared to have shifted after an earlier claim that he had refused to honour an invitation from EOCO.
“First, they said I refused to honour their invitation. When that propaganda failed, they now claim that I charged unapproved professional fees,” he wrote.
He subsequently questioned whether EOCO had the legal mandate to regulate or determine the professional fees charged by lawyers.
Mr Baffour Awuah also rejected claims that he or SBA and Partners received GH¢2.2 million from the GH¢5 million amount allegedly linked to legal services.
He further denied allegations that he or his law firm transferred money to the then Managing Director of SIC Life Savings and Loans.
The MP also disputed claims surrounding the alleged judicial sale of a property for GH¢24 million.
According to him, no such judicial sale took place, and he therefore rejected the allegation that GH¢6 million from a purported buyer was subsequently paid to him or his law firm.
The latest claims form part of an ongoing dispute between the MP and EOCO, which escalated following an attempted arrest of Mr Baffour Awuah at the Accra High Court.
EOCO has previously alleged that individuals assisted the MP in evading its officers during the attempted arrest, while the lawmaker has challenged the circumstances and allegations surrounding the incident.
Mr Baffour Awuah’s latest response focuses on the alleged financial transactions and the legal basis for EOCO’s claims, as the dispute between the legislator and the anti-graft agency continues.
