EOCO Storms EC Over Opoku Amankwah’s Return

Officials of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) Monday January 15, 2018 stormed the offices of the Electoral Commission (EC) to remove the beleaguered Deputy Chairperson of the Commission in charge of Corporate Services, Georgina Opoku Amankwah from office.

Madam Opoku Amankwah reported to work Monday in defiance of a directive that asked her to proceed on leave in July 2017 to allow for investigations into the alleged disappearance of GH¢480,000.00 belonging to the commission.

Her presence in the office, according to sources, brought about chaos as officials from EOCO and the Ghana Police Service besieged the EC to forcefully bundle her out of the office in compliance of the directive.

Madam Opoku Amankwah is also the subject of impeachment proceeding being heard by the five-member committee formed by the Chief Justice together with chairperson of the Commission Charlotte Osei and Deputy Chairperson in charge of Operations Amadu Sulley.

She has been home for the past seven months.

Monitoring the development for Starr News, Eric Mawuena Egbeta reported that Madam Opoku Amankwah has since left the premises.

He also reported of a meeting between officials of EOCO and Madam Opoku Amankwah where it has been agreed that EOCO finalises its investigation within fourteen days to allow her report to duty or otherwise.

Last year, a letter from Madam Opoku Amankwah’s lawyers, Asante-Krobea Sekyere & Associates, described the EC Chair’s directive to their client, through EOCO, to proceed on leave as unconstitutional.
The letter dated 8 July and signed by Kwame Owusu Sekyere, a lawyer, read: “Your letter dated 5 July 2017 and the attached letter from EOCO dated 4 July 2017 has been referred to us by our client Ms Georgina Opoku Amankwah to respond to same. Our client was appointed as a Deputy Commissioner of the EC which is an independent institution in accordance with Article 44 (3) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

“For your information, Article 146 of the Constitution sets up processes and procedure for dealing with allegations against persons of the status of our client. From our reckoning, your letter does not comply with the said processes and procedure, for that runs counter to the processes and procedure laid down in the Constitution. Our client has been advised not to comply with your directive as same is unconstitutional. Please be advised accordingly.”

Source: StarrFMonline