Dr. Adam Bonaa has called on the Speaker of Parliament to launch an immediate inquiry into the Economic and Organized Crime Office’s (EOCO) handling of the recent controversy surrounding the large sum of money found at the residence of former minister Cecilia Dapaah.
He expressed concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in EOCO’s investigation, specifically questioning the agency’s methods, motives, and handling of evidence, which he believes have compromised the integrity of the probe.
Furthermore, Dr. Bonaa alleges that EOCO passively allowed the warrant authorizing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to retain the funds to expire, subsequently returning the money to Cecelia Dapaah without conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.
As such, Dr. Bonaa stressed the need for a bipartisan parliamentary probe into EOCO’s management of the situation, urging lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to come together and scrutinize the agency’s actions, to promote accountability, transparency, and public trust in the investigative process.
He indicated that a parliamentary inquiry would cast a much-needed spotlight on EOCO’s handling of the situation, uncovering crucial details and revealing potential systemic weaknesses within the agency, which would ultimately strengthen the anti-fraud body and restore public confidence in its operations.
Dr. Bonaa further alleged that EOCO is withholding the truth about the Cecilia Dapaah case, and went on to make a scathing accusation, declaring that the agency has, in fact, become a hub for corruption itself, implying a deep-seated culture of dishonesty and deceit.
“There’s the need to investigate what happened between these two institutions under the executive; EOCO and Special Prosecutor are all under the Attorney General, and so to have EOCO being handed the file to investigate this under money laundering which falls under them, and to have them come back to tell us that they couldn’t do anything about it is mind-boggling, and so as citizen and not a spectator I will ask Parliament to institute a probe into them,” he noted.
Dr. Adam Bonaa
Problems Within EOCO
Furthermore, Dr. Adam Bonaa hinted at widespread internal problems within EOCO that remain undisclosed to the public, suggesting a web of secrecy and cover-ups.
He expressed optimism that a comprehensive parliamentary probe would uncover these hidden issues, shedding light on the agency’s inner workings and restoring transparency and accountability.”
“There are a lot of things going on at EOCO that some of us find unfortunate. The boss of EOCO is not telling Ghanaians the truth, she is telling us half-truths about the money we are talking about.”
Dr. Adam Bonaa
Over the past week, a heated public feud has erupted between the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), centering on their respective roles in probing the source of a substantial sum of money found at the residence of the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah.
Both agencies trading accusations and counter-accusations in a bitter dispute that has raised questions about their effectiveness and independence as experts suggest that both institutions are better off being merged which will save the state financially.
Experts contend that consolidating EOCO and OSP into a single entity would be a shrewd strategic decision, as it would effectively eliminate duplicative efforts, streamline investigative processes, and foster a more cohesive and efficient approach to combating corruption, ultimately yielding greater results and better value for the state’s resources.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has launched a scathing attack on EOCO, publicly castigating the agency for its apparent lack of enthusiasm and dedication to conducting a thorough and rigorous investigation into the matter, implying that EOCO’s efforts have been half-hearted and inadequate.
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