Achimota Forest: Special Prosecutor freezes all of Sir John's assets

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has frozen all assets belonging late Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John.

The move comes after the OSP announced it has commenced investigations into the leaked will of the Forestry Commission boss which showed portions of the Achimota forest lands bequeathed to some named persons.

Details of the will have sparked controversy among a cross-section of the public with the Ministry of Lands stating the Lands Commission does not have any documentation to prove that the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, alias Sir John, owned portions of Achimota Forest lands.

In a statement issued on May 24, the Lands Minister [Samuel Abu Jinapor] directed that the lands declared as owned by the late Forestry Commission boss be deemed as void.

“…Given the totality of the circumstances of the said allegations, I, as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, 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.

“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. These lands, the subject matter of the alleged Will, shall remain Public Lands, whether or not it falls within the de-gazetted lands pursuant to E.I 144,” the statement read in part.

Meanwhile, the latest move by the OSP is said to impact the bank accounts and all assets belonging to the late Sir John until the investigations are complete.