A private legal practitioner, Lawyer Ralph Agyapong, has said that Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor should have focused on Sir John’s assets that were acquired in 2017 and not his lifetime possessions.
The office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), on June 3rd, 2022 froze the assets of the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, who was the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, in their quest to continue investigations into what was termed as an unlawful acquisition of state lands. The action taken by the Special Prosecutor is said to affect all assets stated in the last Will of Sir John.
Lawyer Agyapong speaking with Kwaku Dawuro on Movement In The Morning Political Show on the above issue said, ‘’I will begin my submission by relating this to Dr. Opuni’s case. When his bank accounts were frozen and he went to Supreme Court, the court allowed the freezing of the money that was in contention which was 25,000 cedis, allowing him to access the remaining money. In Sir John’s case, I was expecting the Special Prosecutor to have looked at the freezing from the time he assumed his role as the CEO of the Forestry Commission till he left office’’.
Lawyer Agyapong showed his displease with the action taken by the SP. ‘’This is a big challenge for me- to go to extent of freezing his asset from the time he became a lawyer in 1891 is not the right path, because I am not sure he acquired all his assets and properties in 2017 when he assumed office. The SP should have investigated the asset he attained since 2017 that was mentioned in the Will before his departure, but to freeze all is not the way to go’’.
He advised the Special Prosecutor to de-freeze Sir John’s other accounts and assets that were not acquired before 2017.
The OSP is currently investigating Sir John’s alleged property at the Achimota Forest Enclave and Ramser catchment at Sakumono in Accra by three companies named Jakayprons Limited, Fasoh Limited, and DML Limited which were said to be owned by one Charles Owusu and Sir John.
Video below…