The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has announced plans to introduce a Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill to allow the state to seize and recover assets linked to criminal activity.
Speaking during a visit by the Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, to the Ministry of Justice in Accra on Thursday [February 6 2026], the Attorney General said that under current laws, his office lacks the authority to confiscate assets obtained through criminal enterprise.
“Currently, under Act 30, the Attorney General doesn’t have the power to seize assets that are the result of a criminal enterprise. The EOCO has that power, the OSP has that power, but the person vested with the constitutional authority to prosecute, the original owner of the power, does not,” he said.
He explained that the planned legislation would allow the Ministry to pursue civil recovery of assets believed to have been derived from criminal activity, operating under a lower standard of proof than in criminal proceedings.
“If we link any asset to criminal activity, we will be able to apply to the court to confiscate it,” the Attorney General added.
He said the Ministry cannot retain proceeds from confiscated assets, a situation he indicated limits its capacity to support prosecutions and other work.
“Currently, I have over 15 luxury cars with the EOCO, but I can’t do anything. If they sell them, it is EOCO keeping the money, not the Attorney General’s office,” he said, referring to practices in other jurisdictions, including South Africa where such proceeds are used to support prosecutorial work.
The announcement comes amid challenges within the Ministry, including funding, infrastructure and staffing gaps, particularly in newly created regions.
The Attorney General said proper implementation of the bill would strengthen the Ministry’s ability to support state attorneys, provide equipment and transport for court proceedings and expand regional offices.
Speaking during the visit, Prof. Opoku Agyemang described the proposal as a tool for accountability and protection of public resources.
She urged the Ministry to present workable and sustainable responses to issues such as land compensation claims dating back to the colonial period and heavy workloads facing legal staff.
“We rely on you to advise us on what is workable, practical, and enduring,” she said.
The Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill is expected to be drafted and presented to Cabinet as part of moves to widen the legal and financial authority of the Ministry of Justice.
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