The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has described as erroneous claims by the Auditor General that its move to investigate him over alleged procurement malpractices, is unconstitutional.
It has also described as misplaced, the Auditor General’s claim that the investigations are aimed at removing him from office.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, and signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Jacqueline Avotri, EOCO, explained in detail why it was pursuing the Auditor General.
The Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, lamented recently how his trial in the hands of EOCO was unconstitutional.
The trial is in relation to alleged procurement breaches in respect of some vehicles procured by the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) in 2018.
In a November 18, 2019 letter addressed to the Acting Executive Director of EOCO, Mr Domelevo bemoaned his woes in the hands of EOCO.
He narrated in the letter that for close to four weeks now, EOCO has been inviting officers of GAS including himself on the premise of investigating the alleged procurement malpractices.
“I was personally invited by a letter dated November 7, 2019, which invitation I honoured out of respect for your office on 14th November, 2019 only to be cautioned by your officers and asked for a caution statement which I gave,” his letter sighted by DGN Online read.
It added that “I had had to be granted bail – thanks to my driver – before I was allowed to leave your premises.”
In the letter, the Auditor General argued strongly that EOCO does not have the jurisdiction to investigate corruption-related offences which have been defined in Act 959 to include breaches of procurement.
He further argued in the letter that “it is quite bizarre and unfathomable why your office would purport to be investigating procurement breaches when in fact it does not have any legal authority to do so unless there is any hidden or ill motives behind your actions.”
