Baffour Awuah charged with money laundering, financial loss – Lawyer
Lawyer for Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, Samuel Atta Akyea, says the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has formally charged his client with offences including money laundering and causing financial loss to the state.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, October 1, Mr Atta Akyea confirmed that EOCO had formally brought the charges against the MP, who is being investigated over transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans.
“Yes indeed. I’m talking about loss of public funds and also causing loss and then money laundering,” he said.
However, the lawyer rejected the allegations, insisting that his client’s involvement in the transaction arose from legitimate legal services provided to SIC Life.
Mr Atta Akyea said his law firm was engaged by SIC Life to recover an investment from Equity Savings and Loans, adding that the matter was taken to court and resulted in a judgment and subsequent legal action to recover the funds.
He argued that the existence of a judgment and the filing of an entry of judgment, together with the attachment of property belonging to Equity Savings and Loans, demonstrated that the transaction was lawful.
According to him, the documentary evidence shows that the law firm acted strictly on its client’s instructions and questioned how such conduct could amount to a criminal offence.
“So the paper trail is conclusive that the lawyer was working on the case, and how can you say somebody has been shortchanged?” he asked.
Mr Atta Akyea also challenged the reported value of the investment, saying the entry of judgment put the amount at about GH¢10 million, rather than GH¢14 million.
“In fact, the entry of judgment does not show that it’s 14 million. It’s 10 million, which is the investment plus the interest,” he said.
He further questioned whether the matter fell within EOCO’s statutory mandate, arguing that the agency had no jurisdiction to pursue the case.
EOCO has said its investigation centres on alleged unauthorised financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans. The agency has cited suspected financial loss, the dissipation of public funds and money laundering among the alleged offences. The allegations have not been determined by a court.
Mr Baffour Awuah reported himself to EOCO on Thursday after the Accra High Court issued a warrant authorising his arrest and the search and seizure of documents relevant to the investigation.
EOCO subsequently arrested the MP and said he was cooperating with investigators.
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