Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has explained the circumstances under which the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) can arrest the Manhyia South MP, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, following the High Court’s issuance of an arrest warrant.

According to Mr Kpebu, the warrant does not automatically mean EOCO officers can arrest the MP anywhere, including within the precincts of Parliament.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, he said under Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21 of the Parliament Act, 1965 (Act 300), an MP enjoys protection from arrest while attending, going to or returning from Parliament.

“No, no, no, no. Not just by themselves. They can only arrest him without going through the Speaker if the MP is not on his way to Parliament, if he is not attending Parliament, or if he is not returning from Parliament,” he said on Wednesday, September 30.

Mr Kpebu, however, argued that “The best thing is that they should send the letter to Parliament, Section 20, subsection 2 of the Act 300, then they do it in a tidy way.”

He cautioned that arresting the MP at night, a social event, church or funeral could trigger further public debate over the handling of the case.

His comments follow an Accra High Court decision granting EOCO a warrant to arrest the legislator after the agency told the court that its officers had exhausted reasonable means of securing his voluntary attendance.

The development comes a week after EOCO officers attempted to arrest the MP at the Accra High Court on September 23, leading to a chaotic confrontation.