OSP discontinues Cecilia Dapaah's case, refers it to EOCO

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has announced that it has concluded its investigation on the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resource, Cecilia Dapaah, who it accused of corruption and corruption-related offences after two of her house helps have been charged with stealing more than $1 million, €300,000 in cash, and other valuable items from her residence at Abelemkpe.

Addressing the press today, Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, announced that the case has now been referred to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

“Extensive investigation was conducted in-country involving 20 persons and three state institutions, especially in the Ashanti Region, to establish the financial standing of Miss Dapaah’s deceased brother since it was alleged, the substantial portion of the cash found belongs to him (the deceased brother.

“In October 2023, the investigation became cross-border and transboundary upon the claim by the persons of interest that part of this cash sums was transported to Ghana from the United States. For that reason, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States became involved in a collaborative investigation work with the office on the matter," he said.

The special prosecutor added, “… the office has had the benefit of seven months and four months of collaborative transboundary investigation. Member of the press, on the totality of the gathered evidence and intelligence, seems to us that the case is largely in the province of suspected money laundering and structuring".

He explained that the case has been referred to EOCO because its investigations show that the case has to do with money laundering and the office has the mandate per the constitution to look into such matters.

"By operation of Law, the Economic and Organised Crime Office has a direct mandate in respect of suspected cases of money laundering and its attendant activity of restructuring. Consequently, the Office of the Special Prosecutor is referring the case to EOCO for continued investigation and further action."

He stated that the OSP has now discontinued all of its criminal cases and investigations against the embattled former minister and has been ordered by the court to return all her asserts that it froze within 72 hours.

Kissi Agyebeng added that its evidence would serve as the bedrock of EOCO’s investigation and would provide the office with the needed support.

TWI NEWS

Background:

The OSP was currently investigating Cecilia Dapaah for corruption and corruption-related offences after two of her houses helps have been charged with stealing more than $1 million, €300,000 in cash, and other valuable items from her residence at Abelemkpe and had frozen some of her assets.

The former sanitation minister has in turn filed an injunction against the OSP at the Supreme Court to stop the office from taking further steps that infringe on her rights.

The persons believed to be involved in stealing the money and items are currently being prosecuted and have been slapped with 14 charges.

The charges against them include a count of conspiracy, five counts of stealing and eight counts of dishonestly receiving.

They include Patience Botwe (one of the house helps), the 18-year-old who is accused of stealing most of the money stolen from Abena Dapaah’s home; and Sarah Agyei, the 30-year-old former house help accused of stealing some of the money.

The others are the boyfriends, ex-boyfriends and family relations implicated in the theft: Benjamin Sowah, 29, plumber; Malik Dauda 34, unemployed; Christiana Achab, a trader, Job Pomary, a mechanic, and Yahaya Sumaila, excavator operator.

BAI/OGB