The Head of Legal and Prosecution at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Leo Anthony Siamah, has called for greater stakeholder cooperation and greater enforceability of laws to combat organised financial crimes and recover stolen assets.
Speaking at a recent asset recovery and management forum, Mr. Siamah again emphasized that EOCO has shifted from investigating only criminal suspects to targeting, as well as the proceeds of their criminality.
“Not only concentrating on the area of interest now. Now we also have an interest in ensuring that criminals don’t get to enjoy the proceeds of their trade,” he stated. “This entails a concerted effort from all the stakeholders—law enforcement agencies, civil society groups, and the media.”
Enforcement Over Legislation
Mr. Siamah further stated that while Ghana has full legal frameworks to tackle organized crime, the biggest problem is enforcement.
In Ghana, we have the laws. What we need is direction and the political will to enforce them. It’s not about legislation—it’s about enforcement,” he said.
He argued that asset recovery was not only intended to punish criminal behaviour but to recover national resources that could otherwise be used to finance social and economic development.
“When one acquires huge sums of money or property through illegal means and just walks away with it, it deprives the entire country of essential resources. Those resources can fund hospitals, schools, and roads,” stressed Mr. Siamah.
Legal Loopholes and Strategic Delays
Mr. Siamah also pointed out loopholes in legislation that are used by criminals, primarily in asset freezing procedures. He cited instances where suspects, once their accounts had been frozen, go into hiding until when the time limits allowed by the law expire—only to return and demand release of their frozen assets because charges have not been filed against them.
“Such is a serious matter. Some cases of economic crime require cross-border collaboration, e.g., requests for mutual legal aid, which takes from one to two years. Longer than the legal timeframe we are allotted to hold accounts under restraint,” he explained.
Media’s Critical Role
EOCO also urged the media to play a more strategic role in the fight against financial crime by accurately reporting to the people, educating citizens on legal processes, and advocating reforms.
“The media should do more than employ splashy headlines. Public understanding of sophisticated financial investigations is low, and that fosters impatience and misinformation,” Mr. Siamah further added.
He emphasized financial crime investigations take time and data to process, which require patience and precision.
“Pressure on EOCO to deliver swift results is fierce, but the character of our work calls for forensics. The media can be helpful by creating realistic expectations and informing the public on what goes into such probes.”
A Call to Action
EOCO reiterated the need for collective action by all stakeholders in the accountability and criminal justice ecosystem.
“Until we seal loopholes, inform people, and collectively recover assets that belong rightfully to the people of Ghana, we have to enforce the laws we have,” Mr. Siamah said.
Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/capitalnewsonline.com
