The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine has announced intentions to re-enact the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act in an effort to improve the legal framework for seizing assets connected to illegal activity.
Dr. Ayine claimed that the present Act 30 restricts the Attorney General’s office’s capacity to properly pursue criminal cases by denying it the power to collect assets linked to illegal enterprises.
During a visit by the Vice President on Thursday, February 5, he said the office is working on a Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill that will enable the office to carry out both criminal confiscations and civil recoveries.
According to the ministry, the proposed bill would eliminate a major legal loophole, enabling the Attorney General’s office to increase public resources, recover assets more successfully, and guarantee that criminal enterprises cannot profit from illegal earnings.
“I am putting together a bill known as the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill that would enable us not only to use, I mean, criminal confiscations but also civil recovery. Because in that way, the standard of proof is lower. It’s on the balance of probability, and it will enable us, if we link any asset to criminal activity, we will be able to apply to the court to confiscate it, and then we can augment our resources,” he said.
