You can’t freeze Sir John’s assets – Court tells OSP
An appeal by the Office of the Special Prosecutor to freeze the assets of the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John), former CEO of the Forestry Commission, was denied by the Accra High Court.
The OSP claimed in a statement that the court denied their request to keep the late NPP stalwart’s assets frozen.
The assets of Sir John had been frozen by the Special Prosecutor pending a thorough inquiry into allegations of corruption.
The OSP filed a court case seeking confirmation of the freezing order, but the Accra High Court, which is presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, denied the motion today, Tuesday, July 12, 2022.
According to the OSP, the judge misunderstood freezing Sir John’s assets to confiscation of his assets and, thus, will appeal the ruling.
“The judge with respect totally misapprehended the application for confirmation of the freezing order and misdirected herself by characterising the application as that of a confiscation order,” the OSP said in a statement.
The OSP commenced investigations into alleged corruption by Sir John after it emerged that he had illegally acquired state lands within the Achimota forest and the Sakumono Ramsar site and willed it to his family members forever.
