Over the weekend, the Deputy Interior Minister, James Agalga announced that government is initiating processes to confiscate Mr. Amoateng’s assets following his 10-year incarceration in the United States for trafficking drugs.
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We Didn't Know About Confiscation - Lawyers To Government
The legal team of ex-convict, Eric Amoateng says they are unaware of moves by government to confiscate his properties.
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He said: “There are elaborate procedures that have to be followed through. The record of proceedings and everything must be extracted from the court that tried him in the US to enable NACOB and the Attorney General to take action.”
Government’s intention according to the Deputy Interior Minister is in line with the laws of Ghana which states that persons convicted of drug related offences are to have their properties confiscated once overwhelming proof that those properties were acquired through drug trafficking.
But Speaking to Citi News, the lead counsel for the former Nkoranza North Member of Parliament (MP) said they have not been formally notified of government’s intentions.
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Charles Pouzying indicated that as at last Friday “when we were in court, my client and I hadn’t received any formal notice of such an intention by government.”
According to him, his client’s drug offence was committed in the United States where he was convicted and served the jail sentence “so it is the duty of the state to let us know what process they intend to use to carry out such confiscation.”
Mr. Pouzying pointed out that Ghana’s law on narcotics clearly states that “when you are convicted of narcotic offence in Ghana, where it can be shown that the assets you acquired was through that business, then your properties can be confiscated.”
He however said they will properly respond to the government on the intended confiscation of Mr. Amoateng’s assets when they are formally notified.
Eric Amoateng is presently facing new charges on passport fraud. The case has been adjourned to January 26, 2015.
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H/T - CitiFMOnline
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