EC Deputy Chair, Georgina Opoku Amankwah not cleared - EOCO

The Economic and Organized Crime Office [EOCO], has rejected media reports suggesting that it has cleared the Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission in charge of Corporate Services, Georgina Opoku Amankwah of any wrongdoing following a probe into the  GH¢480,000 believed to have gone missing from the EC’s Senior Staff Endowment Fund .

“We wish to emphatically and categorically state that no such clearance has been issued to any of the Officers of the Electoral Commission who are on leave,” EOCO said in a brief statement issued on Tuesday.

Madam Amankwah was however directed to proceed on leave in July 2017, to enable EOCO investigate the matter.

Although she forcibly resumed duty last week, Madam Amankwah and her lawyer after meeting with EOCO officials, agreed on a 14-day ultimatum  by which time she wants the EOCO report on her to be ready. She has vowed to return to work if she does not receive any response from EOCO.

Read also: EC Deputy Chair asked to proceed on leave for EOCO investigations into missing funds

This ultimatum was agreed upon after officials of the investigative body stormed her office to prevent her from occupying it.

But even before the 14-day period elapses, the Daily Guide newspaper in its January 23, 2018 edition, reported that some documents available to it from the Attorney General’s Department suggest that the affected officers including Opoku Amankwa have been cleared of any malfeasance.

According to the newspaper, “The report, dated January 10, 2018, indicates that the focus of the EOCO investigation was on Samuel Yorke Aidoo, the then Director of Finance, as well as Ishmael Pensah, a former Chief Accountant, who no longer works with the EC.”

Daily Guide further suggested that Georgina Opoku-Amankwaah and the other directors being investigated were allegedly being hounded by EOCO on the instruction of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei.

But EOCO in its statement said the claims by the Paper are untrue.

“…the attribution that ‘EC Chairperson is said to be manipulating EOCO’ is blatant falsehood and needs to be condemned. The general public is invited to disregard the said publication,” the statement added.

The statement however fell short of addressing the newspaper’s claim of a report from the Attorney General’s Department.

Below the brief statement from EOCO:

PRESS RELEASE

ECONOMIC AND ORGANISED CRIME OFFICE- EOCO

The attention of the authority at the EOCO has been drawn to the banner headline of the 23rd January 2018 Edition of the Daily Guide Newspaper that “EOCO Clears EC Top Officers”.

We wish to emphatically and categorically state that no such clearance has been issued by this Office to any of the Officers of the Electoral Commission.

Secondly, the attribution that “EC Chairperson is said to be manipulating EOCO” is blatant falsehood and needs to be condemned. The general public is invited to disregard the said publication.

EOCO will issue a statement on this matter.

SGD

ACP K.K. AMOAH (RTD)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

DATED – 23RD JANUARY, 2018

Credit: Citifmonline.com