The Economic and Organised Crime Office’s (EOCO) reason for refusing probe into the Cecilia Abena Dapaah matter involving the stashing of huge sums of monies in her house should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Daniel Yaw Domelevo, a former Auditor-General who has filed a petition with over a 100 others for Parliament to probe the rationale behind EOCO’s refusal to investigate the matter says the actions of the anti-graft agency leaves much to be desired.
According to him, EOCO has over the years been interested in probing matters that fall outside its jurisdiction, and does not understand why it is refusing to work on a case that directly falls within its mandate.
Speaking with Alfred Ocansey on Ghana Tonight Thursday, May 16, 2024, Mr. Domelevo recalled how the Office rushed to investigate an allegation of procurement breaches that was levelled at his office at the time he was Auditor-General, adding that the same outfit rushed to probe a corruption allegation made by Prof. Stephen Adei against the Ministry of Roads and Highways and cleared them.
He says until Parliament probes the institution’s conduct on the matter to ascertain the main reason for their refusal to inquire into the matter, then they might probably be fulfilling the ‘prophecy’ of President AKufo-Addo.
“Honestly the story is not believable. If you have been following EOCO, it is one institution which in the past has been quick at investigating offences which falls outside their mandate but now what falls even within their mandate, they are refusing to investigate.
“When I was in office, a frivolous allegation was made against me for breaches in procurement processes and whereas it did not fall within the mandate of EOCO, they took it upon themselves to investigate. I had to go to court and used the High Court to stop them. It took a High Court to stop them to say that they are acting illegally before they stopped,” he indicated.
He explained further that, “so, I think if Parliament calls them, we will like to know whether it is because of the President’s prophecy which says that at the end of the investigation, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, her integrity or reputation will be restored or it’s because Section 1 subsection 3 provides that in the course of investigating money laundering offence, if the person being investigated has in his or her possession, property which the person cannot account for, and it cannot be reasonably attributed to his or her sources of income, then the person is guilty of money laundering or it is both.”
