Govt. To Consider The Establishment Of Special Control Unit On Money Laundering

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mrs Marrietta Brew Appiah Oppong has asked her ladyship Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood, the Chief Justice, to issue a �practice direction� on measures to expedite the trial of money laundering and the financing of terrorism offenses in the country. This according to her will give credence to efforts being made by Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) as well strengthen the judiciary to enhance prosecution of money laundering cases in Ghana. She made this known at the 19th Plenary/Technical Commission meeting of the GIABA which was held at the Accra International Conference Centre. GIABA is a specialized institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as Financial Action Task Force and Style Regional Body, established in December 2000 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS. It aims at promoting the adoption of standards against money laundering and terrorist financing in accordance with acceptable international standards and practices. Among other objectives, it facilitates the implementation by member states of measures against money laundering and terrorist financing, taking into account the specific peculiarities and conditions in the region. Giving her key note address at the meeting on Thursday, Mrs. Marrietta Oppong, said as part of the proposals for the amendment of the Anti Money Laundering Act, 2008 (Act 749), government would consider the establishment of a Special Control Unit on Money Laundering (SCUML) to ensure the compliance of the obligations imposed by the law on Designated Non Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs). �I wish to task the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and the law enforcement agencies, especially the police and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to collaborate in sensitizing crime officers/prosecutors about the need to charge economic and financial crime offenders with counts on money laundering,� he indicated. She has promised to continue to collaborate with GIABA, governments and competent authorities of GIABA member-states to ensure that the sub-region becomes unattractive for money laundering and terrorist financing.