Former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah
A group of five, including Bernard Mornah, has filed a petition with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), urging an investigation into former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah's alleged disproportionate asset acquisition.
The petitioners—Mensah Thompson, Al-Hassan Kwadwo Baidoo, Bernard Anbataayela Mornah, Ransford Antwi, and Joyce Atitso—are demanding a detailed review of Madam Dapaah's financial dealings.
The call for scrutiny follows a burglary at Dapaah's residence in July 2023, where valuables including $1 million, €300,000, GH¢350,000, luxury handbags, and jewellery were reported stolen, leading to her subsequent resignation.
The revelation of these sums amid Ghana's fiscal difficulties and the Cedi's depreciation has led to public uproar.
Following Madam Dapaah's resignation over the issue, she was arrested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which found over GH¢48 million in her accounts.
After a seven-month probe involving the FBI, the OSP dismissed the case due to lack of evidence and handed it over to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), which also returned the case, citing similar reasons.
In their petition dated May 20, 2024, sighted by GhanaWeb, the five petitioners called on CHRAJ to examine Dapaah's assets, including $1,390,000, €300,000, GH₵3,212,007, and various bank accounts. They highlighted the urgency of the investigation, pointing out Dapaah's inability to adequately explain the source of her income during OSP interrogations.
"...we are fortified in the need for this investigation because, during interrogation by the OSP as to the source of her income, Madam Cecilia Dapaah could not give any proper explanation," part of the petition stated.
GA/EK
