EOCO Leading AKSA Deal Investigation – Deputy Attorney General

Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai has explained that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is leading the investigation into the AKSA deal, stressing that the decision does not amount to a turf war between state anti-corruption agencies. According to him, the investigation involves allegations beyond bribery and corruption, including money laundering, which fall within EOCO’s mandate. Dr. Srem-Sai noted that although the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has collaborated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on the matter, it is not the only Ghanaian institution to have done so. He said EOCO has also collaborated with the FBI through the Office of the Attorney General, stressing that the various mandates of the investigative agencies must first be clearly established. “It is not true that it is just about bribery and corruption. It is also about money laundering.”

The Deputy Attorney General explained that some of the alleged offences may not necessarily fall within the OSP’s mandate but could fall within the jurisdiction of EOCO. He said the agencies could either collaborate on the investigation or another institution, including the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) or the Ghana Police Service, could take responsibility for aspects of the case, depending on the nature of the offences involved. Dr. Srem-Sai therefore urged the various institutions to focus on their constitutional and statutory mandates rather than compete over the investigation.

He stressed that the ultimate objective should be to ensure that allegations of corruption and other criminal offences are properly investigated and prosecuted where necessary. He added that the purpose of the various investigative agencies is to fight corruption and ensure that crime does not go unpunished.

By Kukua Snead-Michaels