Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has criticised the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over the arrest and detention of lawyer Baffour Awuah, describing the case as “bizarre” and questioning the basis for the action.

Speaking to JoyNews on the sidelines of the NPP Delegates Conference in Kumasi, Mr Blay said he found it difficult to understand why a professional lawyer had been detained over a transaction involving fees he had earned in the course of his work.

“I feel sorry. It’s unfortunate,” Mr Blay said.

“So far as I’m concerned, it’s comical. The man, as you talk now, is behind bars. Over what? Over 1 or 2 million cedis that he earned as a professional, bargain or no bargain. Is that what EOCO is chasing after?”

His comments come amid growing public discussion over EOCO’s handling of the case involving Mr Awuah and questions about the circumstances surrounding his arrest and detention.

When asked whether he considered the case to amount to political witch-hunting, Mr Blay stopped short of using that description, instead saying the circumstances were difficult to understand.

“Your guess may be as good as mine,” he said.

“But this is not even witch-hunting. So far as I’m concerned, it’s bizarre.”

Mr Blay questioned what exactly EOCO was seeking to establish in the case and whether the money involved formed the basis of the investigation.

“I don’t know what witch-hunting is that for. What for what?” he asked.

“Are they looking for the 2 million or what? Or what are they saying that he has given somebody a bribe of 1 million or what? What is it?”

He said authorities needed to clearly explain the basis for pursuing the lawyer.

“Is that what you are bringing?” he asked.

Mr Blay also questioned EOCO’s priorities, saying that the agency should be focusing on cases involving serious organised crime and large-scale drug trafficking.

“They won’t go after cocaine people,” he said.

“Millions, is that what they are looking for? Is that what EOCO is meant to do?”

He further questioned whether the case involved the kind of financial wrongdoing that should attract EOCO’s attention.

“Caused a financial loss to this country. Is that what EOCO is about?” he asked.

Mr Blay said he believed Baffour Awuah would eventually emerge from the case, but warned that the treatment of professionals in such circumstances could have wider consequences.

“Lawyer Baffour will come out. Put him in. You kill his spirit. There will be more Baffours even after him,” he said.

“And those who are doing it, they are misfired. They will suffer the consequences,” he said.