For Telling Gov’t To Prosecute It’s Corrupt Officials First; E/R EOCO Boss Suspended

The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), has suspended its Eastern Regional Director, Fred Dzeny after he asked government to have the political will to prosecute corrupt officials within his government before prosecuting others.

“The ruling government should be ready first and foremost to prosecute their own when the slightest incident of corruption is raised against the ruling government then they can also get the guts to prosecute the opposition.”

Fred Dzeny, speaking in an interview with media in Koforidua on the side-lines of a roundtable discussion on ‘The Youth in the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana” held in Koforidua by the National Youth Authority to mark African Youth Day under the theme,” ‘Raising Youth Voices against Corruption” said:

“When you look at the corruption cases in Ghana, it is not just politicians who are corrupt, the public servants, civil servants they are all corrupt. When you look at it, it is the Chief Directors who prepare contract documents and other things so if we are blaming the Politicians, it is not right, it is the public servants generally,”.

The Eastern regional Boss of EOCO also appealed to Government to resource the anti-corruption institutions to be able to execute their mandates satisfactorily. He bemoaned the Challenges facing EOCO adding that it is inhibiting it to the fight against corruption.

But a statement by EOCO says the conduct by Mr. Dzeny is “against the ethical and professional standards of the Office. He has therefore been suspended and the matter referred to the appropriate unit for investigation.”

Below is the full release by EOCO
PRESS RELEASE – PROSECUTE YOUR CORRUPT OFFICIALS FIRST-E0C0 TO GOVERNMENT

The attention of the Headquarters of Economic and Organised Crime Office has been drawn to a publication in the Ghanaweb caption -“prosecute your corrupt officials first-E0C0 to government”

EOCO as an institution dissociates itself from the said publication. The statement made by the Eastern Regional Director, Fred Dzeny is an expression of his personal view and has nothing to do with the Office.

The Office considers his conduct as against the ethical and professional standards of the Office. He has therefore been suspended and the matter referred to the appropriate unit for investigation.

ACP K. K. Amoah (Rtd)