Why EOCO, not OSP, is leading AKSA bribery probe – Deputy AG explains

Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem-Sai has cautioned against turning the investigation into alleged bribery surrounding the Aksa Energy deal into a turf war between Ghana’s anti-corruption agencies. He said the priority should be to establish the facts, identify anyone who may have been involved and ensure that the appropriate laws are enforced. His comments follow calls for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to take a leading role in the investigation following the conviction in the United States of Ghanaian businessman Asante Kweku Bediako for bribing foreign officials in connection with a power project.

Speaking in an exclusive yet to be aired interview on JoyNews’ PM Express, Justice Srem-Sai said the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is currently the lead agency handling the matter. He explained that the case extends beyond bribery and corruption and could involve other offences, including money laundering, which fall within EOCO’s mandate. “It is not a question of ‘I want to do it’.

Yes, you want to do it, but who has the mandate to do what ought to be done?” he said. EOCO and OSP can collaborate Justice Srem-Sai said there was no reason for the investigation to become a contest between the OSP and EOCO, stressing that the agencies have complementary responsibilities in the fight against corruption and organised crime. He noted that the OSP could collaborate with EOCO where necessary, while other law enforcement agencies could also become involved depending on the evidence and offences uncovered.

“It could be that they can collaborate. It could also be that BNI will take over the whole thing. It could also be that the police would have done their work,” he said.

According to him, the objective of all the institutions involved is the same — to ensure that wrongdoing is properly investigated and that criminal conduct does not go unpunished. Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has explained why the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), rather than the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), is leading Ghana’s local investigations into the AKSA bribery scandal. Speaking exclusively to JoyNews’ Evans Mensah, Dr Srem-Sai said the decision was based on the legal mandates of the respective institutions and the range of offences that may arise from the case.

He stressed that the matter goes beyond allegations of bribery and corruption to potentially include money laundering, which falls within EOCO’s mandate. “It’s also not true that it is just about bribery and corruption. It’s also about money laundering,” he said.