Unexplained wealth: Former Auditor-General wants burden of proof to be on accused persons

Former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo is calling for a change in Ghana's legal framework regarding unexplained wealth.

In a keynote address at a public forum organized by the Media Foundation for West Africa, Domelevo proposed that the burden of proof should shift to individuals to justify the source of their assets, rather than relying on prosecutors to prove wrongdoing.

He emphasized that this shift could combat public-sector corruption effectively, advocating for both asset declarations and lifestyle audits.

Domelevo cited the Anti-Money Laundering Act as a model, where individuals must prove the legitimacy of their wealth if it doesn't match their known income sources.