Justin Frimpong Kodua, General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has criticised the arrest of Dennis Miracles Aboagye, cautioning the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) against what he described as politically motivated actions and disregard for due process.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, July 13, Kodua alleged that Aboagye had been held by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for more than 48 hours without being interrogated, raising concerns about the manner in which the investigation was being conducted.
According to him, the arrest appeared designed to create a public perception of guilt before any legal proceedings had begun.
“It is all part of the political tricks to create the impression that because an accountant has admitted to committing a crime, by extension Miracles Aboagye is also guilty. What place does that have in law? It doesn’t make any sense to any of us,” he said.
Kodua stressed that while no one should be exempt from accountability, state institutions must uphold the rule of law and respect the rights of individuals under investigation.
“I’ve always said that the NDC government needs to tread cautiously. Power is transient and no condition is permanent. No one is above the law. If someone has committed a crime, it is the duty of the state to arraign that person before a court of competent jurisdiction, but not this kind of Rambo-style behaviour,” he stated.
The NPP General Secretary further alleged that the arrest forms part of a broader pattern of intimidation against opposition figures. He warned that allowing such practices to become normal could undermine Ghana’s democratic institutions.
He also urged the media and civil society organisations to remain objective and speak out against any perceived abuse of due process, irrespective of which political party is in power.
Meanwhile, EOCO says Aboagye’s arrest is connected to ongoing investigations into alleged financial and procurement irregularities involving about GH¢55 million during his tenure as Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD).
