EOCO using bail to suppress suspects – Tampuli
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Gushegu, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, has expressed concern over what he calls the growing “weaponisation” of bail by state investigative agencies, especially the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
In an interview, the MP said bail intended to protect the rights of suspects is increasingly being used as a tool of intimidation and oppression.
“It appears that bail is now being weaponised, with some very unusual and burdensome conditions imposed on suspects or persons of interest,” Mr. Tampuli said.
He noted that this trend marks a clear shift from how such matters were handled in previous years.
According to him, several investigative bodies including the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), EOCO, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) now manage high-profile cases, but EOCO has faced the most criticism over harsh bail requirements.
He stressed that, unlike EOCO, the OSP rarely pushes for suspects to be detained.
“You will hardly find an instance where the OSP insists someone must be kept in custody,” he said, pointing to broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere’s case as an example of a high-profile suspect who was not subjected to strict bail terms.
The Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee also questioned why self-recognisance bail frequently used in the past seems to have disappeared.
“We were in this country for the eight years that the NPP was in power. Can you name one person who was held in custody because they couldn’t meet bail conditions?” he asked.
He also dismissed claims that bail amounts should match alleged financial losses, noting that some people are being detained even when their cases have no connection to missing funds.
“There are people being held in custody for matters unrelated to any loss of money. Why are they still being held? What are you trying to recover from them?” he questioned.
Mr. Tampuli called for urgent reforms to ensure a fair, transparent, and properly regulated bail system, arguing that current practices undermine justice and violate the rights of suspects.