In a recent development concerning the ongoing investigation into the financial affairs of former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah, anti-graft campaigner Vitus Azeem has criticized the Office of the Attorney General (AG) and the Ministry of Justice’s advice regarding the matter.
Mr Azeem commenting on the vexed matter expressed deep concerns over the Attorney-General’s advice, which described the Economic and Organized Crimes Office (EOCO) conducting money laundering investigations as baseless, thereby raising significant concerns about the course of action taken.
Mr Azeem, known for his staunch advocacy against corruption, expressed his dismay over the handling of the investigation, suggesting that the matter should not come to a halt based on the Attorney General’s recommendation alone.
He highlighted that the case warranted further scrutiny and should be pursued diligently to ascertain the legitimacy of the funds in question.
Calls for Comprehensive Examination
Furthermore, Mr Vitus Azeem emphasized the need for a comprehensive examination of Madam Cecilia Dapaah’s financial records to ascertain how she acquired the money that has become a matter of public concern.
Mr Azeem recounted that he had earlier urged that the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the matter, particularly concerning the asset declaration of the former Minister of Sanitation to establish if the monies in question were acquired legally and from genuine employment or not.
He underscored that the involvement of multiple institutions is necessary to ensure a thorough investigation into the matter.
He thus suggested that both the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) should be engaged to delve into different aspects of Madam Dapaah’s financial activities.
“So the matter shouldn’t end there if EOCO thinks that it cannot proceed, even if the Attorney General thinks that EOCO cannot proceed, I think that the matter should go to CHRAJ and the matter should also go to GRA. To establish if the lady was doing a genuine business and earned the money and whether tax was paid”.
Vitus Azeem
Moreover, the anti-corruption crusader while expressing surprise at the Attorney General’s advice, criticized the Economic and Organized Crimes Office’s decision to seek the Attorney General’s advice instead of conducting a thorough inquiry into the allegations of money laundering independently.
He vehemently posited that the Economic and Organized Crimes Office per the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s referral letter were required to investigate the matter to establish whether there was evidence of money laundering or not.
The anti-graft campaigner reiterated the importance of the Economic and Organized Crimes Office’s role in uncovering potential criminal activities related to the acquisition of significant sums of money.
He further emphasized the need for a meticulous examination of the former Minister of Sanitation’s financial transactions to determine if any wrongdoing had occurred.
Mr Azeem also indicated that the examination of the matter by the Economic and Organized Crimes Office requires the state body to find out how Madam Cecilia Dapaah got her money, and whether there was criminality involved in her acquisition of such huge sum of money.
He thus admonished the Economic and Organized Crimes Office to fulfil its investigative mandate diligently without any hesitation, condemning the Attorney General’s advice that the EOCO cannot proceed with its investigation.
Mr Azeem clarified that the investigation of Madam Cecilia Dapaah by the Economic and Organized Crimes Office is not about prosecution but rather about gathering evidence to ascertain whether money laundering had taken place.
He emphasized the importance of allowing the investigative process to unfold without premature conclusions.
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