What is EOCO?

The Economic and Organised Crime Office is a specialised agency established to monitor and investigate economic and organised crimes and on the authority of the Attorney –General prosecutes these offences to recover the proceeds of crime and provide for related matters.

What is the mission of EOCO?

The Mission of the Office is to lead a unified national effort to fight economic and organised crime by:

• Detecting, investigating, preventing and prosecuting all serious economic and organised crimes in Ghana.
• Developing and sustaining an effective approach to combating economic and organised crime in Ghana.
• Developing partnerships with domestic and international agencies to combat economic and organised crime.
• Providing safety and security for our community and financial markets to ensure an investor-friendly atmosphere.
• Rendering organised crime unattractive by taking away the proceeds of crime from organised criminals.

What does EOCO stand for?

EOCO is the acronym for Economic and Organised Crime Office.

When was EOCO established?

6^th September, 2010.

Who is the Head of EOCO?

The Executive Director is the Head of Eoco. He is  appointed by the President of the Republic of Ghana and holds Office on the terms and conditions specified in his/her letter of appointment.

How is EOCO organised?

The headquarters of EOCO is  in Accra, with an Office in each of  the ten Regions of Ghana. Regional Directors are responsible for the day to day running of the office and report directly to the Executive Director.

What does EOCO do with information and evidence gathered during investigation?

A docket is built and after thorough analysis by the Legal Department, forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for possible prosecution.

What authority does EOCO Officers have to effect an arrest?

The power and authority to effect arrest is vested in EOCO officers who have the immunities conferred on a police officer in the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), the Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350) and any other law related to a police officer.

What happens once I contact EOCO?

We will take a record of the details of your disclosure so that we can start assessing your information.  Depending on the information you give us, we may need to contact you again to get the full picture of the allegation(s).  Don’t be alarmed if you do not hear  from us.  If you don’t hear from us, it doesn’t mean that your information was not important.  We value your contribution very much.

However, because of the sensitive nature of criminal investigations, we may not (for operational reasons or because of legal restrictions) be able to discuss  details of actions we have taken on the information you gave us.  We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.

Will I be informed about the outcome of investigation?

By the EOCO Act  dockets  on investigations conducted are forward  to the Attorney Generals Department for advice. However in exceptional cases the office may give an update  as the case may be.

Does the EOCO collaborate with other organisations in the performance of its duties?

Yes, EOCO collaborates with both the public and private sector.

Was the EOCO set up to take over the duties of other public institutions?

No, the work of the EOCO does not constitute a usurpation or duplication of any other institution. The EOCO is a specialized agency mandated  to deal with complex economic and organised crime cases.

What is the difference between the EOCO and  CHRAJ?

The EOCO has been established as a specialised agency to monitor and investigate economic and organised crimes and on the authority of the Attorney General prosecute these offences.

Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ) on the other hand  has among its many functions the mandate to investigate corruption and bribery allegation(s) against public officers, alleged human rights violation.

Does it mean that EOCO can not investigate bribery and corruption cases?

Yes we do , when it is a predicate offence in an ongoing criminal investigation.

If a Ghanaian defrauds a foreigner, has the EOCO any interest in it?

Yes, EOCO is interested in issues that have the potential to result in financial or economic loss to Ghana and might tarnish the image or reputation of the country.

How accessible is the EOCO in Ghana?

The Head Office of EOCO is located at the old Parliament House, on  John Evans Atta Mills High Street, Accra, and Regional offices in all Ten Regions of Ghana.

 Within what time frame can a case be fully investigated?

There is no time frame generally within which a case can be fully investigated by the EOCO. The Office however endeavours to complete all investigations within reasonable time.

 What happens after the completion of an investigation?

Depending on the nature of offence and evidence gathered, punitive administrative sanctions can be recommended, a suspect may be arraigned before court for prosecution among others.

Does the EOCO envisage having every Ghanaian educated on its activities?

Yes, as part of its mandate the EOCO  has a duty to engage in relevant public education activities. A Public Education Unit has already been set up for the purpose.

Does the Government exert political influence on the EOCO?

No. the EOCO is part of the public service with a clear legal mandate. The functions of the Office do not allow political interference.

Does the EOCO handle cases involving the private sector?

Yes, the law within which the EOCO operates allows it to veer into the private sector. The criteria of handling cases by the EOCO is whether or not the criminal acts of the person(s) or company(ies) have occasioned financial or economic loss to the state.

What is the relationship between the EOCO and the fraud squad and the economic unit of the police?

The Fraud Squad and the Economic Crime Unit of the Police deal with information and complaints relating to general fraud and white collar crimes. By the nature of its work, the EOCO has a good working relationship with the Police. Close collaboration is the key in the fight against economic and organised crimes.

How EOCO works?

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