Economic And Organised Crime Office Ready For “Big Responsibilities”

The Economic and Organised Crime Office is seeking to collate information from members of the public and other organised groups in carrying out its new mandate.

Hitherto the Serious Fraud Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office is looking forward to “investigate, and on the authority of the Attorney General, prosecute serious offences that involve financial or economic loss to the Republic or any state entity or institution in which the state has financial interest, as the Act, assented to by President John Mills stipulates. The new office now has the power to investigate, prosecute and recover the proceeds of crime. Chief Executive Officer of the Economic and Organised Crime Office, Kwaku Morte Akpadzie, told Emefa Apawu, host of the morning show, the Big Bite on Xfm 95.1, an Accra based private commercial radio station his office would among other things investigate crimes as a result of tax fraud, money laundering, cyber fraud, drugs and human trafficking, bribery, forgery, extortion, smuggling, etc, unlike previously when the SFO was only mandated to investigate matters which cause financial or economic loss to the public. It is based on this that the office is calling for support from members of the public in achieving its mandate. “We want to get to the stage where the institution (Economic and Organised Crime Office), will professionally do its job with integrity and dedication so that Ghanaians will get the type of service that they expect. And we expect that indeed, all Ghanaians will help us, because we need their collaboration, support, guidance and even their criticisms as to how to do it better.” Presently, Mr Akpadzie said the Economic and Organised Crime Office is revamping its work force to deal with the new responsibilities. “We are vigorously transmitting the Serious Fraud Office to this new office; we are recruiting to put ourselves in shape to be able to deal with this new responsibility.”

An important function that the office has been given is the tracing and tracking of illegally acquired assets. Highlighting further the difference between the new office and the old SFO, Mr Akpadzie said, “Under the previous law, if somebody was convicted of a crime or fraud and he has acquired a lot of assets, he’ll go to prison and come back to comfortably enjoy his assets. But under this new law, once you are convicted, all your assets are due to be acquired out of crime until you prove otherwise. If not, they are confiscated to the state.”

Barely a month after resuming its new credentials, the Economic and Organised Crime Office is set to investigate all tertiary institutions, including private ones based on some information the office has received.

Story by Abena Asiedua Tenkorang/ Robert Israel Xfm Accra, Ghana