The Auditor General of Ghana, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, has told the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to stop the “unlawful” investigation of alleged procurement breaches at the Ghana Audit Service (GAS).
According to Mr Domelevo, EOCO has no legal mandate to investigate corruption related offences which has been defined to include breaches of the Public Procurement Act, hence does so unlawfully.
“A careful reading of [EOCO] enabling law, the Economic and Organised Crime Act, 2010 (Act 804) as amended by the Office of Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act959) and from discussions with my lawyers, I am of firm belief that [EOCO] does not have the mandate to investigate any breaches under the Public Procurement Act,” he stated in a letter to the Acting Executive Director of EOCO, intercepted by ghananewsonline.com.
Mr Domelovo asserted that EOCO’s mandate to investigate corruption related offences which has been defined to include procurement breaches has been stripped away due to provisions in Act 959 of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017.
He cautioned EOCO to immediately halt the illegal investigation of alleged procurement breach and render an apology to the staff of GAS within five working days.
Mr Domelevo asserted that, if EOCO fails to clearly provide any document whatsoever giving them a mandate to investigate procurement breaches on GAS, any continued investigation will be fiercely contested.
He however stated that, staff of Ghana Audit Service are ready to submit to investigations on the said matter by appropriate authorities.
Source: Jonas Danquah || ghananewsonline.com.gh