The Deputy Executive Director for General Services at the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Aba Jacqueline Opoku, has firmly refuted allegations that the agency withholds documents belonging to state institutions, which are essential for the auditing process.
Her statement came during a recent sitting of the Public Accounts Committee, following concerns raised by the committee’s Ranking Member, Mr. Samuel Atta Mills.
He suggested that EOCO might be delaying audits by retaining critical files from state bodies.
Responding to these claims, Madam Opoku outlined the strict procedures EOCO follows when handling documents from any institution.
She explained that the agency always operates transparently and legally in all investigative matters.
“This is very important to us. As an investigative institution, we do things by the book,” she said. “Whenever we require documents from any agency or individual during an investigation, we formally write to them as the first step.”
She further clarified the process during searches, stating “In the event that it is in the process of carrying out a search, where we go with a suspect and we go to the location, in the course of the search, we discover certain documents.
“We document each one and ensure that the person signs off to what we have received, while our officers also sign off. So that document is available to them and a copy with us,” she added.
Madam Opoku emphasized accountability, urging that anyone alleging EOCO has not returned their documents should provide a detailed list with information on when and under what circumstances the documents were taken.
She remarked, “If anybody comes here before you, Honourable Chair, and they give an indication that their documents have been taken and have not been returned by EOCO, I’m sure that they should be able to provide a list or that indication of what documents were collected at what time. And once we are done with what is needful, we return the documents to them also under cover of a letter.
She again concluded “So I think that you should be able to enquire from them the date and the time and the circumstances under which those documents were retrieved.”
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
