International lawyer Amanda Clinton has described the detention of Asante Akyem North MP Kwame Ohene Frimpong in the Netherlands in connection with alleged criminal investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a troubling signal about confidence in Ghana’s ability to handle politically exposed persons.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on May 13, Amanda Clinton said the case, although still based on allegations that are yet to be proven in court, raises serious questions about whether international law enforcement agencies trust Ghanaian institutions enough to share sensitive intelligence involving public officials.

“It is true it is an allegation — an allegation that hasn't been proven in a court of law,” she stated, while stressing that the arrest abroad was significant because it suggested “an internationally coordinated” operation.

According to Amanda Clinton, the manner in which the alleged operation unfolded points to fears among international investigators that sensitive information shared with local authorities could be compromised.

“It absolutely sends a signal to this government and to any government that will take place that international law enforcement perhaps did not trust the Ghanaian government enough to share information that they should have,” she said.

“Had they trusted them, we would have seen something like an extradition.”

She explained that in cases involving politically exposed persons, international agencies often worry that advance intelligence shared with national institutions may eventually reach the suspect, thereby jeopardising investigations.

“When you have somebody called a politically exposed person or someone in government, international law enforcement will say, well, if I share this with national security, if I share this with EOCO, if I share this with different departments, will that information be compromised?” she argued.

“And will it mean the person is put on notice so they don’t get on a flight?”

Amanda Clinton further suggested that the MP may not have been directly alerted because investigators feared possible leaks if local agencies had been informed ahead of time.

“What tends to happen is if our agencies were put on notice, some are government appointees, and some would just share that information, and it would filter down to a politically exposed person or someone in government. That is the fear from international agencies,” she stated.

The lawyer said the situation reflects a broader challenge surrounding political accountability and the perceived reluctance of governments to pursue cases involving influential individuals.

“Can any government handle politically exposed people and people in government effectively?” she questioned.

“And if they don’t handle them effectively, this is the international embarrassment we will face.”

Amanda Clinton also gave insight into how alleged money laundering networks typically operate, noting that a suspect does not necessarily have to be directly involved in romance scams to face money laundering allegations.

“When a lawyer, particularly an international lawyer, sees alleged charges like this, it might not necessarily mean he’s directly involved in romance scams,” she explained.

“But when you see money laundering, you automatically see things like placement, layering and integration.”

She said anybody involved in moving illicit funds through complex financial systems in order to disguise their origins could potentially fall within the scope of money laundering investigations.

“Anybody who forms part of that network is considered an alleged money launderer,” she noted.

The legal practitioner further argued that failure to act decisively against politically exposed persons locally often emboldens individuals accused of wrongdoing.

“These people become very bold. Whatever crime or alleged crime they’re committing, they duplicate it because they feel no one is going to touch them,” she claimed.

“And government will protect them.”

Amanda Clinton warned that such perceptions ultimately damage Ghana’s international image and expose the country to reputational risks when public officials are arrested abroad.

“If you do not deal with this in your own territory, we will face international embarrassment in terms of someone having to be picked up,” she said.

She also referenced Ghana’s longstanding extradition treaty with the United States, noting that cooperation between the two countries on criminal matters dates back decades.

“The Netherlands would not pick him up without sufficient information,” she added, suggesting that any potential extradition process would likely involve substantial evidence gathered through international collaboration.

As of Tuesday, Ghanaian authorities had not officially commented on the reported detention or the status of any possible extradition proceedings.