OSP's request to investigate Sir John's estate sets 'very dangerous precedent’ – Obiri Boahen

Sir John inherited gold from his uncle, Boahen claims

High Court dismisses Special Prosecutor’s request to keep

Read full articlehref='/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=4288'>Sir John’s assets frozen

Ghana will lose corruption fight in unimaginable ways if Sir John’s ruling stands, OSP

Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has bemoaned the investigation into the estate of the late former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John).

Nana Obiri Boahen asserts that the investigation was wrong and sets a dangerous precedent because the executor of Sir John's Will cannot explain how he (Sir John) acquired his wealth.

In a Sompa FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, the NPP Deputy General Secretary, who is also the lawyer for the executor of Sir John’s Will, Charles Owusu, said that there is no need for the Special Prosecutor to freeze the assets of the late Sir John.

“If someone is alive and you are looking into his estate, that is okay. But if the person is dead and you are asking the executor of his Will to answer questions on his estate, how is he supposed to do that. How will he know how the dead person amassed his wealth?

“I used a phrase in court that, the Special Prosecutor freezing the assets of Sir John will set a very bad and dangerous precedent… this will mean that if anybody acquires wealth and the Special Prosecutor seize it just like it happened in Ghana some years back,” he said in Twi.

On the matter of the peripheral portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve land being willed by Sir John, he said that the government can ask the Owoo family about the persons they sold the lands they reclaimed to.

“On lands, he bought at the Achimota Forest, he (Sir John) is not alive but the Minister (for Lands and Natural Resources) explained that parts of the lands were given to the Owoo family and Sir John also bought the lands from the family. He (the Special Prosecutor) can go to the Owoo family and ask them who they sold their lands to,” he said.

Obiri Boahen added that allegations that Sir John acquired the properties stated in his Will through corruption are false because he (Sir John) was given some gold consignment by his uncle, which he could have used to acquire more properties than what was stated in his Will.

Meanwhile, an Accra High Court has dismissed a request by the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng, to extend his power to freeze the assets of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John.

The OSP has, however, indicated that it will be appealing the decision of the court, saying, “If this decision is left to stand, the Republic will lose the fight against corruption in unimaginable ways. The investigations into the estate of Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie alias Sir John will still proceed.”

Listen to the interview below:



Meanwhile, GhanaWeb is accepting nominations for the prestigious GhanaWeb Excellence Awards – Youth Edition. Watch how you can nominate from the video below.



IB/BOG