My arrest was politically motivated

Leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Percival Kofi Akpaloo, says his recent arrest by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) was politically engineered rather than based on wrongdoing.

Akpaloo was arrested at his Kumasi residence on September 3, 2025, and detained for several days on more than 20 charges, including misappropriation of funds, forgery, theft, and causing financial loss to the state. He was eventually released on September 11 after meeting strict bail conditions, including a GH¢10 million bond with two sureties.

Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey on Friday, September 12, Akpaloo revealed that EOCO’s investigation partly centred on a road construction project in Goaso, Ahafo Region, where authorities questioned whether the work had been executed. He maintained that community members had confirmed his work when investigators visited the site.

But beyond the allegations, Akpaloo suggested his arrest was triggered by his comments following the August 6 helicopter crash, in which he criticised the government’s neglect of road safety. “When the helicopter crash happened, I passed a comment about the fact that they’ve neglected our roads and people are dying on the roads… so that triggered all these. It was like let’s find something to arrest him so that everybody will know this guy has been arrested, that’s all,” he said.

He further argued that the charges lack legal merit and expressed doubt they would even reach court. “I’ve not done anything. I don’t believe whether they will even be able to go to court to file any case because there’s nothing to stand on,” he added.

EOCO has confirmed that investigations into the alleged financial crimes remain ongoing. Akpaloo, however, maintains that he is cooperating with authorities while out on bail and insists the ordeal has more to do with politics than genuine criminal concerns.