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General News of Friday, July 12, 2019
Source: ghananewsagency.org
2019-07-12
Photo file
The Economic and Organized Crime Bureau (EOCO) recovered 99,165,369.29 ¢ of proceeds of crime between 2014 and March 2019.
Commissioner of Police (COP), Frank Adu-Poku (Rtd.), Executive Director of EOCO, announced this information at the first national stakeholder forum organized by this organization in Accra,
Mr. Adu-Poku said that it was about resources that would otherwise have been dissipated and lost to the benefit of the state.
The forum was part of EOCO's efforts to deepen the understanding of its operations by stakeholders and provide the opportunity for a constructive review and evaluation of the institution since its inception.
The forum, entitled "Fighting Organized Crime in Ghana: A Shared Responsibility", was also intended to allow stakeholders to exchange information on cases reviewed, prosecutions initiated and convictions obtained, as well as recoveries and prosecutions. confiscations.
It was sponsored by the EU-funded Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program (PFRA), in partnership with the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and the Open. Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
COP Adu-Poku stated that between 2014 and March 2019, EOCO had investigated 1,855 cases of tax evasion, personalization, false pretense fraud, money laundering, bribery and fraud. prohibited cyber activities, bank fraud, wage fraud and human trafficking.
He said that a majority of cases involved prohibited cyber-activities, including dating scams, in which many young people hired their foreign victims online and managed to extort huge sums of money from them. 39, silver, usually in foreign currency.
COP Adu-Poku said that EOCO has launched a customer service charter to further improve the quality of service provided to its customers.
Ms. Ana Sanchez, responsible for the ARAP Ghana, congratulated EOCO for taking a step-by-step step to engage in a process of engagement with citizens without incitement or pressure from the government. no source.
She stated that the mandate of EOCO as it is defined in the EOCO Act of 2010 (Law 804) is broad and covers aspects of reparation and prevention of offenses, including corruption.
"But we are also aware that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is one of the main ways to fight corruption."
She said, however, that it would be useful to understand how the mandates of EOCO and PSO complement and reinforce each other, so that the public knows how to help EOCO to acquit itself. its mandate to prevent crime and corruption.
"It is in this spirit that, in the near future, ARAP will engage EOCO leaders on opportunities to engage in an exchange program to build networks and learn from sister organizations in other jurisdictions" , she said.
Sanchez said the mission could aim to better understand how other organizations have managed to recover badets from the proceeds of crime.
Dr. Franklin Oduro, a member of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, speaking on behalf of Nana Osei Bonsu, Chairman of the Board, said the forum was a testimony of EOCO's commitment to working with the public to fight organized crime and corruption, especially in the country.
Therefore, he urged the public to collaborate with EOCO in helping to spread information to fight against all forms of crime, adding: "While citizens are helping in this direction, EOCO should also take steps to protect them ".
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