The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced plans to overhaul Ghana’s laws on recovering assets linked to criminal activity, in a bid to close loopholes that allow criminals to profit from illegal ventures.

Ayine explained that the current legal framework, Act 30, limits the ability of the Attorney-General’s office to effectively pursue criminal cases because it does not grant sufficient powers to seize assets connected to unlawful enterprises.

Speaking on Thursday, February 5, 2026, during a visit by the Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, the Attorney-General revealed that his office is drafting a Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill, which will significantly expand the state’s ability to confiscate assets obtained through crime.

According to him, the proposed bill will allow both criminal confiscation and civil recovery, giving prosecutors more flexibility in tracking and reclaiming stolen or illicit wealth.

“I am putting together a bill known as the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill that will enable us not only to use criminal confiscations but also civil recovery. With civil recovery, the standard of proof is lower; it is based on the balance of probabilities.

"This means that once we can link an asset to criminal activity, we can apply to the court to have it confiscated and use those resources to support the state,” he stated

The Ministry of Justice believes the new law will close a major legal gap, strengthen the fight against organised crime, and ensure that illegal enterprises do not continue to benefit from the proceeds of crime.

If passed, the bill is expected to boost public resources while sending a strong signal that crime will no longer pay in Ghana.

NA/AM

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