Press Secretary and spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior, Julius Kwame Anthony, says the process of arresting Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah could have been handled through Parliament to make the exercise more decorous.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, he said although the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) may have the legal authority to arrest persons on suspicion with a warrant, the MP’s status should have informed how the process was handled.

“If fidelity would be paid to the law, my general knowledge on how members of Parliament are supposed to be arrested is that notice is supposed to be given to the Speaker of Parliament to secure their release,” he said.

Mr Anthony acknowledged that Parliament is currently on recess, which could raise questions about whether the MP was protected under provisions relating to arrest while travelling to or from Parliament.

“My only reservation, if I would be plain, is that I feel that being a member of Parliament, if there are concerns, the process to have him arrested could still have been channelled through Parliament, through the Speaker, which would make the process a bit more decorous than what we saw,” he said.

Mr Anthony said he believed the situation could have been handled differently, particularly because the MP is a known public figure who could be traced if authorities needed to arrest him.

“I think this could have been done better. I genuinely think that the EOCO official was at serious risk, which is avoidable. I mean, Baffour Awuah is a known face. He could be traced and arrested,” he added.

He also criticised similar tactics used against MPs in the past, recalling the pursuit of Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu during the previous NPP administration.

“I was personally not happy when the New Patriotic Party government then was chasing the Honourable Sosu around in a similar manner. I do not think that such conduct should be permitted,” he said.

His comments follow an alleged attempt to arrest Mr Baffour Awuah at the Accra High Court, where he had appeared as counsel for detained nurse Salomey Baffoe Awiti.