Personnel from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday (14 April) carried out a search at the Atonsu residence of former lawmaker and ex-Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited, Maxwell Kofi Jumah.
The Ashanti Regional Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul Yandoh, said officers arrived with documents authorising the search but conducted the operation in Jumah’s absence.
“All the keys in this house, they have taken everything. They brought just a sheet with an instruction that they have an instruction from the EOCO boss that they have to come and search Honourable Kofi Jumah’s house,” he said.
Seizure
Yandoh alleged that several items were seized during the operation.
“They have taken all the documents in his room, and then his laptop, and then all the keys to this house,” he stated.
“So I asked him, why are you sending the keys? He said that they have to take it. I said, has he stolen anybody’s building or whatever? They were just not ready to answer that.”
He further criticised the conduct of the search, suggesting that established procedures were not followed.
“What has happened to the normal way of inviting people for documents or other things? What has happened to that?” he asked.
Politically motivated
Yandoh described the incident as politically motivated.
“I would call it political witch hunting or political persecution. I don’t think it’s the way to go. When governments change, it doesn’t mean you should subject the other to this kind of criminal attack,” he said.
“And power will change. Definitely power will change. And when it changes, nobody should blame anybody for also doing the same. Must it become a crime for someone to serve his country?”
There was no immediate response from EOCO, and Asaase News could not independently verify the claims regarding items seized.
Source: asaaseradio.com
