A former Auditor General, Dominic Domelevo says lifestyle audits can help identify unexplained wealth and hold people, especially public office holders accountable.

He explained that proving corruption beyond reasonable doubt is often challenging, resulting in many individuals escaping accountability.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Upfront on Wednesday, May 8, Mr Domelevo noted that in "Some jurisdictions, they are more proactive to say that once you have been able to established that this is in your hand - and I think that even in Ghana, the narcotic law if they find drugs in your possession, it is for you to explain it."

He emphasised that this principle is what the country seeks to apply to combat corruption among public office holders.

“So it’s the same principle we’re looking for to say once Daniel, you came into public office and you said you had 1,000 dollars, by the time the investigations started or you were leaving office, we see that you have 10,000 dollars, so you have additional 9,000 and we cannot attribute that to your salary - and you have also not showed us as a gift.

“You have to prove to all of us that beyond that, Mr A or B or C gave me the 9,000 to keep or I won a lotto yesterday or two days ago as a result of which I have that additional money,” he said.

Mr Domelevo stressed that if the burden of proving unexplainable wealth is solely on the prosecution, it becomes challenging.

He asserted that those engaged in corruption understand the consequences and therefore conceal their actions.

“So if the proof is not reversed to the person being investigated - I’m not saying that you are supposed to prove and that you are guilty, no. Once you cannot prove it, we suspect there’s an offence which should be prosecuted.

“You must also be able to prove to the court beyond reasonable doubt, not the prosecution that, that money comes from a genuine source,” he said.