Economic and Organised Crime Office board inaugurated

A nine-member board of the Economic and Organised Crime Office has been inaugurated to formulate policies to achieve the objectives of the Office.

Members of the board include Mr J.C. Amonoo-Monney (Rtd) Justice of Appeal, Chairman, Mr Dick Ayandi, Ghana Bar Association; Commissioner of Police, Prosper Agblor, Criminal Investigation Department; Henry Acquah, Ghana Revenue Authority; Robert Donoldy, Institute Of Chartered Accountants; and Alhaji Minina Osman of the National Security Council.

The rest are Yvonne Obuobisa of the Attorney General’s Department and Justice Ministry, Yaw Akrasi Sarpong of NACOB and Justice Tsar of Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

The Office was established by Act 804 of 2010 in line with Article 190(1) (d) of the 1992 Constitution, as one of the public services of the country to supplement and augment government’s effort in the fight against corruption.

Administering the Oath of Secrecy to the members, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Minister for Justice and Attorney-General, said the Office was established as a specialised agency of government to monitor and investigate economic and organised crime on the authority of the Attorney General, prosecute these offenses to recover the proceeds of crime.

She said some of the offenses include but not limited to serious financial and economic loss to the state, money laundering, cyber crimes and other serious offenses.

Mrs Appiah-Oppong said the Office since its establishment had been more proactive in the fight against money laundering and other forms of cyber crimes.

She said EOCO in collaboration with the Financial Intelligence Centre, Bank of Ghana and other institutions performed well to remove the country from the blacklisted countries for low commitment in combating corruption.

Mrs Appiah-Oppong said the office has Investigated 186 cases in 2015, and out of the number, 46 cases are being prosecuted and had recovered an amount of GH¢2,419,443.72 to the state as at mid-year 2015.

She said even though EOCO has challenges such as logistic and capacity, she urged the board to come up with policies to address the challenges.

She assured the board of her support and commitment of the Ministry to ensure the effective discharge of the board’s functions.

Justice Tsar,the Acting Executive Director of  EOCO, thanked President John Dramani Mahama for the appointment and pledged to fulfill their mandate.

Source: GNA