The General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Kodua, has criticised the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over the arrest of the party’s communications team member, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, accusing the agency of attempting to subject him to a “public trial”.
His comments come amid growing criticism from the NPP over the arrest of Mr Aboagye, who also serves as spokesperson for former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Speaking to the media on Monday, July 13, outside EOCO’s headquarters in Accra, where Mr Aboagye was being held following his arrest, the NPP General Secretary further accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of using public accusations to shape public opinion before matters are tested in court.
“Part of the strategy of the NDC is public trial. Let’s throw things outside for people to think that, ‘Oh, he has committed a crime.’ That has been their model for branding. That has been their style,” he alleged.
According to Mr Kodua, if investigators believe Mr Aboagye has committed an offence, they should follow due process.
“If they feel that Miracles has committed any crime, the best approach is to arraign him before a court of competent jurisdiction, not this kind of Rambo-style behaviour, not this kind of archaic behaviour,” he said.
“Power is transient. Remember that. Power is transient,” Mr Kodua said.
He also criticised what he described as politically motivated investigations, warning that governments should exercise restraint because political power does not last forever.
“Appointees of the NDC, after December 7, 2028, we’ll ask them to prepare their own charge sheet and bring it to us if that’s how we want to go,” he said.
Mr Kodua described the allegations against Mr Aboagye as “frivolous”, adding that “when you read the content of the letter, you will just laugh. This is a shame to our democracy.”
He questioned the basis of the case, saying that the issues raised by investigators had no connection with Mr Aboagye.
“How do you relate an issue of a different person to Miracles Aboagye?” he asked.
