Parliament makes corruption now a felony in Ghana
Ghana’s Parliament has passed the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill 2020, categorising the offense of corruption as a felony.
This is meant to deter public officers from indulging in the act by introducing stiffer punishment to offenders.
Subject to presidential assent, a person found guilty of engaging in any form of corrupt act could be jailed between for not less than 12 years and not more than 25 years, following the amendment.
Under the parent act, the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, (Act 29), corruption is a misdemeanour and the associated punishment – a jail term of between two and five years according to the sponsor of the bill, the Ministry of Justice, does not deter people enough.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo, at the third reading of the Amendment Bill in Parliament, Accra, Thursday told the House corruption did not only impede economic development but stagnates infrastructural and social development.
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“In recent times, Ghana has experienced a spate of corruption cases associated with people holding public office.
“These cases have dire consequences on the economic development as well as the international image of the country”, she indicated.
Mrs. Akuffo said Ghana is a signatory to many international statuses that criminalise corruption, hence leaving it on the country’s books as a misdemeanour was inconsistent with its international commitments.
“The passage of the bill will strengthen the anti-corruption regime in the country and lead Ghana’s international commitment in the fight against corruption”, she said.
Ranking Member on the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Inusah Fuseini, commenting on the motion, said the new measures to fight the canker would instill fear into persons who may contemplate engaging in corruption.
The lenient punishment regime under the old law, Mr. Fuseini, Tamale Central MP, said was the reason for the futility of the fight against it in the country.
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