The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has frozen all assets of the late Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John.
The latest move follows investigations by the OSP into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of an alleged improper and unlawful acquisition of state property at the Achimota Forest enclave and the Ramsar catchment at Sakumono in Accra contained in Sir John’s will.
It will be recalled that on Sunday, 22 May, it emerged that the will of Sir John contained some parcels of land at the Achimota Forest Reserve and the Sakumono Ramsar site.
It also contained four parcels of specified and unspecified acres of land in the Achimota Forest, which the late politician bequeathed to his family members.
The Achimota Forest has been in the news in recent weeks following an announcement by the government of the declassification of the peripherals to return them to their original owners, the Owoo Family.
Many civil society organisations (CSOs) and individuals have spoken against the government’s actions, with some alleging that the move would affect the ecological integrity of the forest.
Many also feared the declassified lands would only end up being distributed among government functionaries, claims which the government has denied.
Based on these concerns, some CSOs petitioned the OSP to probe further.
By way of acceptance, the OSP issued a statement on Thursday, 26 May 2022, which said it had commenced investigations.
Until the team completes its investigation, the assets will be frozen.
Similarly, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources also assured that it would investigate and get to the root of the matter.
Subsequently, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Abu Jinapor, issued a statement indicating that a search at the Lands Commission did not show that Sir John owned any lands at the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site.
“That said, given the totality of the circumstances of the said allegations, I, as the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, I have directed the Lands and Forestry Commissions to deem any ownership of lands, both in the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie as void and are to take the appropriate actions accordingly,” the statement said.
It added: “For the avoidance of doubt, the bequeathing of the aforesaid lands if established, will not pass any interest/title to the named beneficiaries in the alleged will.”