Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem Sai says Ghana’s long-standing struggle to recover stolen state funds is nearing an end, thanks to a transformed legal landscape.
“We will succeed in terms of recovery,” he said confidently. “Because, first of all, plea bargaining used not to be part of our laws. Now it is.”
Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews, Dr. Srem Sai was responding to a direct question from host Evans Mensah, who asked why Ghanaians should believe that the government’s new anti-corruption campaign, dubbed Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), would succeed where previous efforts have failed.
“Almost every Attorney General has failed at this,” the host pointed out. “People go to jail when governments change, but when it comes to recovery, we’ve been abysmal. Why will this be different?”
Dr. Srem Sai responded without hesitation. “Now we have a legal framework for recoveries, and that includes voluntary recovery through plea bargaining,” he said. “It’s not just about jailing people. It’s about following the money—and taking it back.”
He revealed that beyond the plea bargaining provisions, the Attorney General’s Department has developed what he described as “a very sophisticated system of asset recovery.”
“These people use every legitimate means to trace assets,” he explained. “If you have an account in Ghana, we’ll know. If you have five accounts in five different banks, we’ll find out.”
Dr. Srem Sai gave insight into how the system works by referencing the ongoing case involving the former Signals Bureau boss, Kwabena Adu-Boahen.
“If you were in court today, you’d have seen the disclosures we filed—about 60 of them. They include bank statements and correspondences showing exactly how the money moved,” he said.
“Money is traceable. That’s the point. You’ll see someone moves money from this account at 2 p.m., and then it appears in the accused’s account at another bank by 3 p.m. Then a few hours later, the same amount shows up in a real estate company’s account. It’s like watching a movie. You follow the money, and the story tells itself.”
Dr. Srem Sai insisted that this is no longer about speculation or empty promises.
“Before, we didn’t have the tools. But now we do. The plea bargaining framework allows us to negotiate recoveries. And with asset tracing, the evidence is solid.”
While public scepticism remains after years of unfulfilled promises and high-profile prosecutions with little restitution to the state, the Deputy Attorney General believes the tide is turning.
“We’re not just punishing. We are recovering. And this time, we’re ready.”
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