Lawyer Labels EOCO’s Attack On Tanko As ‘Lawlessness’

Private legal practitioner and host of the current affairs programme Newsfile, Samson Lardy Ayenini, has strongly criticised the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), urging the state agency to strictly adhere to the rule of law in its handling of a case involving Council of State member, Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple.

In an editorial aired last Saturday, Ayenini did not mince words, describing EOCO’s conduct as “a chilling masterclass in institutional lawlessness.”

He argued that it is deeply troubling for a state agency, established and empowered by law to enforce legal standards to act in a manner that suggests it is above the very laws it is mandated to uphold.

According to him, EOCO handled the matter “as though it were dealing with a criminal enterprise,” raising significant concerns about procedural fairness and potential abuse of power.

He emphasised that, the agency failed to comply with the legal framework governing its operations, particularly its inability to seek confirmation of its account-freezing order within the mandatory 14-day window as stipulated under the EOCO Act, Act 804.

Ayenini also took issue with EOCO’s response following a High Court ruling on the matter, describing it as “breathtaking defiance.”

Rather than purging its contempt and respecting the finality of the court’s decision, he noted that the agency issued a press release labelling an individual as a “person of interest” while simultaneously threatening arrest.

“When a state institution begins to interpret court orders as optional, something it can ignore because its internal investigations carry more weight than judicial authority, we exit the realm of the rule of law and enter the realm of whims,” he cautioned.

This position, has been echoed by the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, which, in a statement dated April 7, 2026, expressed deep concern over EOCO’s conduct.

The House bemoaned the agency’s handling of its dealings with Kwamigah-Atokple, describing the situation as both troubling and unacceptable.

The statement referenced a High Court ruling that found EOCO to have acted without lawful mandate and in violation of constitutional principles, stressing that the decision was clear and unequivocal.

It further condemned EOCO’s continued actions despite the ruling, describing them as a direct affront to judicial authority and the rule of law.

The Chiefs urged EOCO to respect due process and, where dissatisfied with the ruling, to pursue lawful appellate procedures rather than actions that could undermine public confidence in Ghana’s justice system.

Growing Concerns in Volta

Meanwhile, within the Volta Region, the issue is increasingly taking on a political dimension, with sections of residents expressing anxiety over what they perceive as targeted treatment of their representative.

There were growing perceptions that the treatment of Kwamigah-Atokple is politically motivated, with some describing it as “an attack on the region”, citing the case of businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome as example.

Many recall how Woyome’s prolonged legal battles not only crippled his economic prospects of the region, but also significantly impacted it politically.

For some residents, the comparison is not merely symbolic but cautionary.

They fear that a similar trajectory for Kwamigah-Atokple could have broader implications for the region’s political influence and economic prospects.

Several youth groups and stakeholders argue that Kwamigah-Atokple, despite being relatively young, has played a significant role in supporting the development of the region.

They point to his contributions to nurturing start-ups, empowering young entrepreneurs, and promoting talents in the sports and entertainment industries.

Others, however, have called for calm, urging residents not to politicise the issue prematurely and to allow due process to take its course.

Nevertheless, the lingering perception of selective justice—whether real or perceived—continues to fuel debate, placing EOCO’s actions under intense public scrutiny and raising broader questions about institutional accountability and adherence to the rule of law in Ghana.