The arrest of Dennis Miracles Aboagye, an aide to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has triggered fresh concerns from the opposition party over due process and the treatment of its members by state security agencies.
According to the NPP, Aboagye was arrested by officers of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) at the Accra International Airport on Monday. The party claims the arrest was carried out with the assistance of immigration officials before he was taken into custody.
The development was first made public by the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, in a Facebook post, where he questioned the circumstances surrounding the arrest and the handling of the case.
Mr Kodua alleged that Aboagye’s legal team had been denied access to him following his arrest and that neither his lawyers nor his family had been informed of his whereabouts. He further claimed that, as of the time of his statement, no formal charges had been communicated against Miracles Aboagye.
The NPP General Secretary urged the authorities to respect the constitutional rights of persons in custody, specifically referencing Article 14(2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which guarantees detained persons the right to consult legal counsel and be informed promptly of the reasons for their arrest.
“The law must be applied fairly and transparently, regardless of political affiliation,” Mr Kodua maintained, calling on EOCO and other relevant authorities to grant Aboagye immediate and unrestricted access to his lawyers and family.
Beyond the immediate concerns surrounding the arrest, the NPP has framed the incident as part of what it describes as a broader pattern of actions targeting members of the party. Mr Kodua argued that recent invitations, arrests and detentions involving NPP officials appear politically motivated rather than driven solely by law enforcement considerations.
He cautioned state institutions against allowing themselves to be perceived as instruments of political intimidation, stressing that public agencies must remain independent, impartial and guided by the Constitution.
Despite the party’s concerns, Mr. Kodua appealed to NPP supporters to remain calm and avoid actions that could escalate tensions, assuring them that the party would pursue lawful means to establish the facts surrounding Aboagye’s detention.
As of the time of publication, EOCO had not publicly commented on the arrest or responded to the allegations raised by the NPP regarding access to legal representation and the status of any charges.
