OSP’s arrest of Cecilia Dapaah hollow, mere political hot air – Barker-Vormawor

Lawyer and FixTheCountry convenor, Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor has stated that the arrest of Cecilia Abena Dapaah by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) will not amount to much, is legally hollow and just mere political hot air.

For him, her arrest for corruption and corruption-related offences, following revelations that her domestic workers stole mind-blowing cash in dollars, Euros and Cedis, from her bedroom only gives an appearance of something being done when in reality, nothing is being done.

He argued that if the fight against corruption were taken seriously, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) would be looking into her tax records to ascertain the genuineness or otherwise of her earnings.

“My legal opinion is that the OSP’s intervention in the Cecilia Dapaah issue is not only legally hollow but won’t amount to much apart from political hot air.

It will only give an appearance of action.

If we are serious about this fight, then the Ghana Revenue Authority should be leading this inquiry. Forget jail! Focus on the money.

If you can keep 1 million plus at home; you must show a tax record that reflects a comparative income.

It doesn’t matter if the money is claimed to belong to your grandfather, mother or an entre sa mere,” Mr Barker-Vormawor wrote on social media.

The former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah was arrested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on July 24, 2023 after court documents revealed that Mrs Dapaah had sued two of her domestic workers for stealing among others 1 million dollars, 300, 000 Euros from her bedroom.

“At 11:55 GMT on 24 July 2023, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who resigned from the position of Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources on 22 July 2023, was placed under arrest by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in respect of suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding large amounts of money and other valuable items reportedly stolen from her residence.

Ms. Dapaah is being questioned by authorised Officers of the OSP,” a statement by the OSP had announced.

Some people have praised the OSP for taking swift action but others, including Barker-Vormawor argue that it is a mere smokescreen.