The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, says the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has exceeded its 2025 recovery target by a historic margin, recording the highest recoveries in the agency’s history.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Thursday, December 18, Dr. Ayine disclosed that EOCO set a recovery target of GH¢200 million for the year but has so far recovered GH¢337.4 million, surpassing the target by GH¢133.4 million.
“The economic and organised crime unit has not only met its target but has gone beyond our expectations,” Dr. Ayine said.
“This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the dedication of the agency’s staff and the strength of our institutions.”
He explained that the recoveries comprise both direct and indirect funds.
“Direct recoveries, which are deposited directly into the exhibit account of the office, currently stand at about GH¢194 million,” he noted.
“Indirect recoveries, on the other hand, are funds paid directly to other government institutions, such as the Ghana Revenue Authority or the Consolidated Fund, and this figure stands at GH¢142.4 million.”
Dr. Ayine stressed that the amounts represent completed cases and underscored the importance of leadership in institutional performance.
“The success story of EOCO shows that institutions matter, but institutional leadership is crucial to the success of the institutions we create as a country,” he said.
The Attorney-General further revealed that Ghana has also recovered more than $15 million from an international organised online crime syndicate that defrauded Ghanaians through cryptocurrency schemes.
Speaking at the same Government Accountability Series, Dr. Ayine highlighted the role of EOCO and other investigative agencies in protecting the country’s financial interests.
“EOCO successfully used our local laws to freeze and recover virtual assets hidden in foreign jurisdictions. As a result, on November 19, 2025, Zodia Custody successfully converted the said crypto assets of the criminal enterprise and paid the same into the EOCO exhibit account in the amount of $15,191,730 and 13 cents,” he said.
He explained that the syndicate deliberately targeted Ghanaians and laundered the proceeds through digital currencies.
“As demonstrated above, the criminal enterprise targeted our citizens, defrauded them, and laundered the criminal proceeds into cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, USDT….”
Dr. Ayine described the recovery as a major victory for law enforcement.
“Millions of funds which were looted out of the country have been successfully returned into our motherland,” he emphasised.
He added that victims of the fraud will be identified and refunded, noting that the recovery reflects the government’s resolve to combat transnational cybercrime, strengthen enforcement in the financial and digital sectors, and uphold the rule of law.