OccupyGhana has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) and other investigative bodies exercising police powers to stop turning investigations into punishment.
The pressure group said the use of account freezes, agency-imposed bail, travel restrictions, reporting requirements and arrests in some recent investigations raised concerns about due process and the exercise of investigative powers.
The call was made in a statement issued in Accra on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, in which OccupyGhana said the fight against corruption must be pursued through the law and not around it.
It cited the investigation into Power Distribution Services (PDS) Ghana Ltd as a particular concern, saying about 66 accounts belonging to the company and individuals linked to it had been frozen since April 2026.
It said two PDS officials had also had their bail increased from GH¢50 million each to GH¢100 million each within a week, while the officials and two lawyers who accompanied them to the BNI had been required to report to EOCO three times a week.
PDS investigation
OccupyGhana said no one had been charged in the PDS matter five months after the investigation began.
It said the state had alleged that the investigation concerned the “stealing” of GH¢850 million from a CalBank account allegedly belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), while EOCO had cited allegations involving insurance guarantees, suspicious transactions and the risk of assets being dissipated.
The group said the allegations should be investigated but cautioned that their seriousness could not justify prolonged restrictions on persons under investigation.
“These are serious allegations and should be properly investigated. But the seriousness of an allegation cannot, by itself, justify indefinite restrictions, excessive bail or departure from constitutional safeguards,” it said.
OccupyGhana said two PDS officials were detained by the BNI on April 30 and granted bail of GH¢50 million each before the bail was increased to GH¢100 million each on May 6.
It said two lawyers who accompanied their clients were also identified as “persons of interest”, detained overnight and granted bail of GH¢50 million each.
“Whatever the merits of the underlying investigation, action against lawyers for representing clients raises a fundamental concern: the right to counsel safeguards everyone,” the group said.
Due process
OccupyGhana said its concern was not about shielding anyone from investigation or prosecution but about ensuring that due process was followed.
It said where there was sufficient evidence, suspects should be charged and prosecuted, while freezes, bail conditions, reporting requirements and travel restrictions should be lifted where there was insufficient evidence.
“Due process is not an obstacle to fighting corruption. It is what makes prosecutions sustainable and recoveries lawful,” it said.
The group called for bail to be determined by the courts and said bail conditions should be reasonable, proportionate and capable of being met.
Oversight call
OccupyGhana urged the courts to deal expeditiously with pending challenges, including the PDS judicial review and a Supreme Court action concerning agency-imposed bail.
It also called on Parliament’s Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and Defence and Interior Committee to scrutinise how EOCO and the BNI exercised their powers.
