Special Prosecutor reiterates calls for lifestyle audits, asset seizures without conviction - MyJoyOnline
Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has reiterated proposals for constitutional reforms that would enable state institutions to conduct lifestyle audits and seize assets from individuals whose wealth is deemed disproportionate to their lawful earnings, even without a criminal conviction.
Delivering a keynote address at the West Africa Regional Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue in Accra, Mr. Agyebeng argued that the legal regime must evolve to meet the sophistication of modern corruption schemes and called for a “reverse onus” clause in the Constitution, where unexplained wealth would be presumed to have been acquired through corrupt means unless the individual could prove otherwise.
He spoke on the theme:
“The law always appears to be a step behind criminal innovation,” he said. “Those who engage in grand corruption possess the means to mount formidable campaigns of misinformation and truth distortion.”
According to him, current prosecutorial methods are inadequate for tracing and recovering illicit wealth, as they often require a conviction before confiscation can take place.
Mr. Agyebeng described lifestyle auditing as the most cost-effective and proactive tool for tackling grand corruption, explaining that “In matters of anti-corruption, prevention is always better than cure. Investigations and prosecutions are slow, expensive, and often unproductive due to entrenched secrecy and wealth layering.”
He argued that constitutional reforms would not only strengthen Ghana’s domestic accountability mechanisms but also harmonise its framework with international standards.
“Unexplained wealth must not be allowed to hide behind legal technicalities. The people demand transparency and accountability.”
Read the Special Prosecutor's address in full.
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