ORAL to prioritize plea bargaining to recover stolen wealth-Deputy AG

Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, has confidently stated that the country’s long-standing issues with recovering stolen state funds are nearing an end, thanks to recent changes in the legal landscape.

Speaking on JoyNews, Dr. Srem Sai addressed concerns over the government’s new initiative, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), assuring Ghanaians that this time the recovery process will be different from past efforts.

Responding to a question, Dr. Srem Sai explained that the legal environment has significantly improved, making it possible to track and recover assets more effectively.

Dr. Srem Sai highlighted the importance of plea bargaining as a crucial component of the new framework, allowing for voluntary recovery of stolen assets. He emphasized that the focus has shifted from merely incarcerating wrongdoers to tracing the stolen funds and reclaiming them for the state.

He went on to describe the sophisticated asset recovery system now in place, which uses advanced methods to track assets, including the ability to trace bank accounts and financial transactions. 

Dr. Srem Sai cited the example of the former Signals Bureau boss, Kwabena Adu-Boahen, as evidence of how the system works. He revealed that detailed disclosures, including bank statements and correspondences, have been filed in the case, showing exactly how money moved between accounts and was eventually laundered through real estate companies.

Despite public skepticism from previous failed attempts to recover looted funds, Dr. Srem Sai reassured the public that this time the process is different. “We are not just punishing. We are recovering. And this time, we’re ready,” he said.