EOCO investigates former IMCCoD officials over GH¢55 million financial irregularities; one suspect begins returning funds
via GhanaWeb2 min read
The Economic and Organised Crime Office EOCO has announced the arrest of Dennis Edward Aboagye, former Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation IMCCoD, and Gerald Appiah, former Accountant of the same institution. They are being investigated for suspected misappropriation, misapplication, diversion, and theft of approximately GH¢55 million in public funds. Gerald Appiah has voluntarily started returning funds connected to the alleged crimes, though EOCO emphasizes that these repayments do not conclude the investigation or absolve any suspect. The arrests stem from an investigation initiated by a petition from the current IMCCoD Executive Secretary, following a forensic audit covering August 1, 2022, to February 2, 2025. Both individuals face charges including conspiracy to steal, stealing, using public office for profit, causing financial loss to the state, dissipation of public funds, defrauding by false pretenses, and money laundering. Aboagye is expected to be granted bail, and Appiah is completing bail conditions for release as investigations continue.
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Must ReadHaruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, has expressed profound sadness over the death of the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II. In a statement released on July 13, 2026, Iddrisu described the passing as a significant loss for the Dagbon Kingdom and Ghana. The death of Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II was officially announced on the same day by Kuga Naa Adam Abdulai II, Head of the Kingmakers, following customary rites at the Gbewaa Palace in Yendi. Iddrisu paid tribute to the late monarch, acknowledging the historical foundations of the Dagbon Kingdom and commending Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II for fostering unity and peace within the region. He specifically highlighted the late King's achievement in restoring and implementing the rotational succession arrangement between the Andani and Abudu royal gates, calling it his greatest legacy. Iddrisu views the King's death as both a moment of grief and an opportunity to consolidate the progress made in promoting stability within the kingdom, anticipating a continued progressive rotation of leadership between the two gates.
Justin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party NPP, has accused the government of using the arrest of former government officials to divert public attention during times of public pressure. Speaking during a protest by the NPP youth wing on Monday, July 13, 2026, he stated that the NPP would not be intimidated by these arrests, calling them government tactics. Kodua dismissed allegations by EOCO as “frivolous” and part of a campaign to tarnish the reputation of NPP members. He also criticized state institutions for arbitrary arrests and denying suspects access to lawyers, citing the case where a man was held from Saturday evening to Monday without legal counsel. Kodua cautioned government appointees that political power is temporary and they should be mindful of their actions. The Economic and Organised Crime Office EOCO confirmed the arrest of Dennis Edward Aboagye in connection with investigations into alleged financial and procurement irregularities at the IMCCoD Secretariat, following a petition from the current Executive Secretary of IMCCoD. Aboagye is under investigation for conspiracy to steal and stealing, using public office for profit, causing financial loss to the state, dissipation of public funds, defrauding by false pretenses, money laundering, and other suspected offenses.
When a criminal suspect is located in another country, security agencies have two main options for their return: extradition or rendition. Extradition is a formal legal process governed by treaties and domestic laws, involving formal requests, reviews by authorities, court proceedings, and opportunities for the suspect to challenge the request. This process can be lengthy, taking months or even years. Rendition, conversely, involves transferring a suspect outside the traditional extradition process, often through cooperation between security agencies or immigration authorities, and may not require a full judicial process in the country of removal. Agencies may opt for rendition due to its speed, the absence of an extradition treaty, national security concerns, immigration or deportation violations, and close cooperation between law enforcement agencies. While extradition offers stronger procedural safeguards and is the internationally recognized mechanism for ordinary criminal offenses, rendition or deportation-based transfers are used when domestic laws permit, especially if a suspect has breached immigration laws, no extradition treaty exists, or the suspect consents to return. Rendition has faced scrutiny from human rights organizations due to concerns about due process and potential for arbitrary detention, particularly in cases of "extraordinary rendition."