Ghana’s anti-corruption and financial crimes agency, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), has dismissed a media report by NorvanReports, an online news portal, which claimed that the agency had failed to act on a petition to investigate the Chief Executive Officer of Springfield E&P, Mr Kevin Okyere, for allegedly defrauding by false pretence.
According to NorvanReports, EOCO’s alleged inaction compelled the petitioner, Swiss-based Petraco Oil Company SA, to file a case against GMP Energy Limited, a subsidiary of Springfield E&P, at the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), which allegedly led to Mr Okyere’s arrest and detention on Saturday, November 1.
Responding to the publication, EOCO, in a statement on Sunday, described the report as false, stating that contrary to the claims, the agency is actively investigating not one, but two cases involving Springfield E&P.
“Contrary to the claims made by NorvanReports, EOCO has two active investigations involving Springfield Energy,” the statement said.
EOCO explained that the first petition concerns Springfield Energy while the second involves an ongoing dispute between BOST and Springfield Energy.
It noted that the BOST–Springfield case is of significant economic importance, with immediate implications for BOST’s finances, making it a priority investigation.
The anti-corruption body further emphasised that it is the directive of EOCO’s leadership that investigations must precede arrests; not the reverse.
While declining to comment on the ongoing investigations, EOCO expressed disappointment that NorvanReports did not seek clarification before publishing its story.
EOCO assured the public of its unwavering commitment to investigating and prosecuting economic and organised crimes in Ghana, pledging to continue working diligently to fulfill its mandate.
“We urge the public to disregard the false claims made by NorvanReports,” the statement concluded.
Discover more from Energy News Africa
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.