10 things to know about the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO)

Many are sure to have heard of the EOCO whose full name is the Economic and Organised Crime Office but have not taken pains to even take a read on what it stands for and how it can be of help to them.

This piece thus should come in handy for such persons and thereby enlighten them by also opening up this body to them as one of those they can also go to.

1. The Economic and Organised Crime Office(EOCO) is a specialized agency charged with monitoring and investigating economic and organized crime and prosecuting the same offences to recover the proceeds of crime.

2. Before being given its current name, EOCO was known as the Serious Fraud Office which was established by the Serious Fraud Office Act(SFO) as a specialized investigative body.

3. The Serious Fraud Office did not have the powers to investigate and prosecute offences related to human trafficking, money laundering, cybercrimes and other organized crimes and also per its Act permitted persons convicted of any serious financial crime or fraud to return home to enjoy their proceeds of crime.

4. EOCO therefore was formed to augment the lapses by responding to the spate of sophisticated criminal activities emanating from advancements in technology and globalization as well as cross-border movements.

5. Per the EOCO Act, 2010(Act 804) the Economic and Organised Crime Office has extended powers which involve dealing with the offences of money laundering, Human and People Trafficking, Prohibited cyber activities, Tax fraud, participation in organized crime, Terrorism and terrorism financing, sexual exploitation, illicit arms and trafficking, trafficking in stolen goods, smuggling, illicit trafficking in narcotics and extortion.

6. Its new extended functions also include the recovery of proceeds of crime, monitoring of criminal activities, taking preventive measures against criminal activity, and disseminating criminal information to appropriate authorities.

7. EOCO also has the power to search, seize, freeze assets and confiscate proceeds of crime upon conviction.   

8. The Officers of EOCO have the powers and immunity as conferred on a police officer in the performance of their duties under their duties per section 18 of the law establishing it.

9. There is a grave similarity between the work of EOCO and the Police Service but note that they are not the same and thus EOCO cannot in any way assume upon itself the mandate to deal with usually matters between private persons as a friend or brother stealing from the other. Such a case is under the powers of the police. It was thus for nothing that the Supreme Court recently warned EOCO in such regard in a certain case between one Malik Ibrahim and another.

10. EOCO is headed by an Executive Director. Its current head is Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah who has served in many roles including becoming the director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.