‘You don’t have the mandate to probe my office’ – Domelevo writes to EOCO

The Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, has asked the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to stop exceeding its jurisdiction by investigating alleged procurement breaches in the Ghana Audit Service.

In a letter, Mr Domelevo noted that EOCO no longer had jurisdiction to investigate corruption-related offices.

The investigation centred on the procurement of buses by the service in 2018.

Mr. Domelevo was first invited by EOCO on November 7, 2019, and honoured the invitation seven days later where he provided a caution statement and was granted bail.

But now, referencing the Economic and Organised Crime Act, 2010 (Act 804) as amended by the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), Mr. Domelevo said he was of the “firm belief that [EOCO] does not have the mandate to investigate any breaches under the Public Procurement Act.”

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“In fact, I am advised that the relevant provision in Act 959 which amended Act 804 is section 80 and therein, your office’s mandate to investigate corruption and corruption-related offices, which has been defined to include procurement breaches, has been taken away.”

Mr. Domelevo further said he found the investigation “quite bizarre and unfathomable.”

He also questioned if there was “any hidden or ill motives” behind the investigation which he described as illegal.

Whilst he is open to an investigation into the allegations by the appropriate office, he added that “any continued or further investigation by your office after the receipt of this letter will be fiercely contested, and my lawyers are already in the known and copied in this letter.”

READ ALSO : AFAG gives AG one week ultimatum to probe alleged procurement breaches at Auditor-General’s Department

In addition, Mr. Domelovo demanded an apology from EOCO to him and the staff of the Ghana Audit Service.

“I am by this letter asking you and your office to immediately stop the illegal and unlawful investigation of the alleged procurement breach and render an unqualified apology to me and Staff of the Ghana Audit Service within five working days from the date of receiving this letter.”