The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has raised concerns over the attempted arrest of Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah at the Accra High Court Complex while he was representing a client.
The incident happened on September 23, 2026, when officers of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) attempted to arrest the lawyer on the court premises.
The GBA said the incident was particularly troubling because Mr Baffour Awuah was at the court in his professional capacity as a lawyer.
The association also raised concerns over an alleged assault involving another lawyer, Enoch Anhwere Afoakwa, during the incident. According to the GBA, videos circulating online show Mr Afoakwa complaining that he had been assaulted by a woman later confirmed by EOCO to be one of its officers.
The statement signed by GBA National President Efua Ghartey and National Secretary Kwaku Gyau Baffour stressed that while no one is above the law, enforcement actions involving lawyers must follow due process and respect their professional duties, particularly when they are representing clients.
“Attempts to circumvent these safeguards create the perception of intimidation and may have a chilling effect on the legal profession as a whole,” the GBA said.
GBA defends professional independence
The association warned that actions perceived as interfering with lawyers carrying out their duties could affect public confidence in the justice system.
“Lawyers play a critical role in the administration of justice and the protection of the rights of citizens,” the statement said.
The GBA pointed to previous concerns raised by its President, Efua Ghartey, about the treatment of lawyers while representing clients.
At the GBA’s 2025 annual conference in Wa, Mrs Ghartey said lawyers should be able to defend clients of their choice without being subjected to harassment.
“The Bar must never waiver in its role as the voice of the voiceless,” she said.
She also referenced the arrest and overnight detention of former Vice President of the Bar, Justice Minka Premo, and a young female lawyer who had gone to the defence of a client at the BNI.
The GBA said such incidents raise questions about how state security agencies handle lawyers who appear at their premises or act for persons under investigation.
Call for due process
The association has now called on EOCO and other state institutions to ensure that enforcement actions are carried out with fairness, due process and respect for the rights of all persons involved.
“The rule of law demands not only that justice be done, but that it be seen to be done,” the GBA said.
It added that the independence of the legal profession is a cornerstone of democratic society and must be protected.
