Some proceeds of crime from January to September 2019 did not escape the eagle eyes of the Economic and Organized Crime Office, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Gloria Akufo, has announced.

The state security agency tasked monitor and investigate economic and organized crime and on the authority of the Attorney-General, prosecute offences, according to Minister, recovered GH?2,655,768,69 from proceeds of crime to the State.

Out the amount, GH?1,368,806.45 was recovered as direct recovery into the Consolidated Fund whilst the remaining GH?1,286,962.24 was recorded as indirect recovery to relevant institutions.

The money was recovered from 250 cases investigated by the security agency during the period under review. 30 of the said cases are still under various stages of prosecution with one conviction so far.

Briefing Parliament about the performance of the Office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for the year 2019 whilst moving the motion for approval of GH?136,627,625 for the services of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General’s Department for the year 2020, Madam Akufo further announced that EOCO also secured one confiscation to the State during the period under review.

Outlook for 2020

EOCO, kasapafmonline.com understands, plans to investigate 400 cases and prosecute 52 of them in the year 2020. It further hopes to secure ten (10) convictions.

In addition to that, the security agency intends to recruit 52 new staff to assist it to perform its mandate effectively whilst also furnishing its Forensic Laboratory and also setting up a fully equipped tracking unit to clamp down on organized crime.

The Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs chaired by Hon. Ben Abdallah Banda, in presenting the committee’s report for consideration and adoption of the 2020 budget estimates of the ministry recommended to the Ministry of Finance to provide additional funds to EOCO to furnish its new forensic laboratory and set up a fully functional tracking unit improve on its operations.

EOCO was established by the Economic and Organised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804) as a specialized agency to monitor and investigate economic and organized crime and on the authority of the Attorney-General prosecute these offences to recover the proceeds of crime and provide for related matters.