Lawyer for Manhyia South Member of Parliament (MP) Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah has questioned the basis of the Economic and Organised Crime Office’s (EOCO) ongoing search of his client’s former law firm.

According to Samuel Atta Akyea, the search of the law firm, Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners, had not been completed as of Thursday, October 1, with a second search expected to be conducted at the MP’s residence.

Speaking on JoyFM’s Top Story, Mr Atta Akyea said EOCO was looking for a file relating to SIC Life, but the document had already been surrendered to the company.

“Well, in fairness, there's a file, which is the SIC file. He told them point blank that that file has been surrendered to the client, SIC. I don't know why they still want to go to the law firm,” he said.

The Manhyia South MP was arrested on Thursday after voluntarily surrendering himself at EOCO's premises at about 10:00 a.m. after several months of efforts by the Office to secure his attendance.

The investigations relate to allegations of criminal conspiracy, financial loss to SIC Savings and Loans, money laundering, tax-related offences and other matters.

He expressed concern that the search could expose confidential information belonging to other clients of the law firm.

“You should bear in mind that the law firm is a holy chamber of confidentiality, where the problems of others are contained in files. So to search a law firm relative to the matters of other people could be very funny,” Mr Atta Akyea said.

He argued that EOCO could run into legal difficulties if investigators accessed documents unrelated to the case.

“Certainly. You see, because these are confidential files, if you want to know. And if the order for the search is not relative to the case we're investigating, you're falling far off the law,” he said.

Mr Atta Akyea also questioned the criminal basis of EOCO’s investigation into the SIC Life transaction involving his client.

He said the transaction arose from legal work his client undertook for SIC Life, which eventually resulted in a settlement agreement signed by the company.

“I don't think so. You see, because the key factor for your consideration is my client working for SIC Life, and then a judgment being handed down, and then they settling by way of what they call settlement to end the matter. And then SIC, the so-called complainant, signs,” he said.

He questioned how a settlement that was agreed to and signed by the client could subsequently form the basis of a criminal investigation.

“If you think that the bargains were bad, and you could have done a better bargain, how does that translate into criminality?” he asked.

The lawyer further questioned whether EOCO’s mandate extended to recovering money where a client believed it had received an unfavourable legal settlement.

“If the client feels that he's been shortchanged, now are you going to reduce EOCO to a debt collector? Is that a remit of EOCO?” he asked.

EOCO is investigating alleged unauthorised financial transactions involving SIC Life Savings and Loans Company Limited. The agency has linked the probe to suspected financial loss, dissipation of public funds and money laundering.

Mr Baffour Awuah voluntarily reported to EOCO on Thursday, October 1, accompanied by Mr Atta Akyea, after the Accra High Court issued a warrant authorising his arrest and the search and seizure of documents considered relevant to the investigation.