Former AG Slams EOCO for 'Harassment' in Re-arrest Case

The actions of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in Ghana have drawn sharp criticism from a former Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, who has accused the anti-corruption agency of "extra judicial harassment." The controversy centers on the re-arrest of Abdul-Wahab Hanan Aludiba, former CEO of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company, and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, mere days after all charges against them in an ongoing case were withdrawn by the Attorney-General's office.

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extra judicial harassment

According to the statement issued by the former Attorney-General, the initial charges were dropped following successful objections raised by the defense during a Case Management Conference. The prosecution's attempt to introduce fresh witness statements without court permission was also rebuffed, leading to the withdrawal of the charges. This sequence of events suggests a flawed prosecution case that the Attorney-General's office rightly decided not to pursue further.

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EOCO should have conducted further investigations before taking any new action against the accused persons.

However, EOCO's swift re-arrest of Mr. Aludiba and his wife, reportedly for undisclosed offenses and despite their previous bail status, has raised serious questions about due process. The allegation that lawyers were denied access to their clients further compounds these concerns. The former Attorney-General's statement explicitly accuses the government, EOCO, and the current Attorney-General of weaponizing law enforcement mechanisms to target opposition figures rather than adhering to legal procedures.

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the couple had been denied bail despite previously being granted bail by the court before the charges were withdrawn.

This incident is particularly concerning given Ghana's commitment to the rule of law and due process. The criticism leveled against EOCO, especially from a former high-ranking legal official, highlights a potential pattern of abuse of power and the instrumentalization of state institutions for political ends. The call for EOCO's Executive Director, Raymond Archer, to ensure the agency operates within legal boundaries and respects citizens' rights is a crucial demand for accountability and the preservation of democratic principles in Ghana.

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lawyers for Mr. Aludiba were denied access to him while they waited at EOCO’s office for several hours on Tuesday.