Sir John's Will: What Crime Have I Committed? - Charles Owusu Goes Berserk On Special Prosecutor's Treatment

Former Head of the Monitoring Unit of the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu has snapped at the Special Prosecutor for freezing all assets of the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, a former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission.

Mr. Kwadwo Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, became the General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) from 2010 to 2014.

The late Sir John's Will recently surfaced on social media shocking many Ghanaians as it revealed him purportedly giving some State lands to his children, nephews and other relatives.

It is a long list of 75 properties including houses, parcels of land, bank accounts, investments, businesses, guns and clothes.

The Will raised public concerns following the discovery that he owned lands in the Achimota Forest.

The Will of the former CEO of the Forestry Commission has therefore come under intense scrutiny and a statement signed by the Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyebeng, folllowing the leak of the Will indicated that Sir John including other persons will be investigated.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor served notice last month that it has begun full investigations into the alleged and unlawful acquisition of lands at the Achimota forest enclave and the Ramsar site by the former CEO of the Forestry Commission.

As part of investigating the suspected corruption involving the late Sir John, the SP has frozen all his assets.

Charles Owusu was named as an executor to the Will.

Appearing on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme Friday morning, Charles Owusu broke his deafening silence over the matter as he expressed worry over a treatment meted out to him by the Special Prosecutor regarding the issue.

He disclosed that he received a letter from the office of the Special Prosecutor last Wednesday informing him about the embargo on Sir John's assets.

He, therefore, went to the SP's office yesterday but was met by some soldiers at the gate who transferred him to another office.

"After an hour, about four people entered the room I was kept in asking about Charles Owusu and I responded I am the one. They then told me they are from court to present a writ of summons to me. After receiving the summons, an officer who initially was supposed to speak with me now appeared and took me to a corridor informing me that he would be recording our conversations. He was asking me why I had come to the office which is after they had presented me with the summons. Being in a state of shock, I replied him that I had been in the office for a very long time.

"Then the officer said he heard I would come there at 2 pm and I asked him 'who told him?' because nobody had invited me. I came on my own accord because I was about traveling but wanted to first find out if they need me personally, so, I suspend my travel to make it easy for them to contact me. He (the officer) responded that they have a court case with Sir John on 23rd (June) but because I was his aide, I should come to the court," Charles Owusu narrated.

He noted that he agreed to appear in court and was dismissed from the SP's office only for him to be met by a military officer who prevented him from leaving the premises.

"What saddens me is that, on my return to sit in a car, a soldier met me that he's been told they should not allow me to leave the premises," he said.

Speaking on 'Kokrokoo', Charles Owusu registered his distaste over how he was treated by the Special Prosecutor.

"If Mr. Kissi Agyebeng is listening to me, what crime have I committed? What crime? Is it a crime for me to walk with someone I love?", he fumed.

He added that it is no fault of his that the late Sir John made him an executor to his Will.

"I can't deny Sir John. I cannot deny him. I'm very sad. I can't deny Sir John; he was a good man. He did me good; I cannot deny him!", he exclaimed.