Special Prosecutor cleared Cecilia Dapaah of corruption not my office – Godfred Dame replies critics

Attorney General Godfred Dame has stated that neither his department nor the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) cleared former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah of corruption allegations.

He did, however, mention that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), after a comprehensive investigation, found no evidence of corruption, despite the accusations against her.

The Attorney General revealed that he advised EOCO against conducting money laundering investigations into Cecilia Dapaah's affairs, considering it unnecessary because the law states that money laundering is a predicate offence.

A predicate offence is an illegal activity that is the foundation or the first crime in the chain of another crime.

Godfred Dame refuted suggestions that he swayed the OSP's decision to exonerate the former sanitation minister from corruption charges.

“So this clearly settles the issue. So far as funds located in Madam Cecilia Dapaah’s house were concerned, so far as the sums seized were concerned, there was clearly no direct or immediate evidence of corruption. And that is not me stating this, this is the OSP himself clearing Madam Cecelia Dapaah.

“The record must reflect the point that the OSP, with the mandate to investigate corruption and corruption-related offences, after conducting an elaborate inquiry cleared Madam Cecilia Dapaah of corruption. So why is he now trying to suggest that the AG has cleared anyone of corruption? EOCO never investigated for corruption, the AG has never investigated for corruption, it is the OSP itself,” myjoyonline.com quoted him as having said.

This clarification follows concerns raised by some Ghanaians and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) after the Attorney General and Minister of Justice recommended that EOCO not pursue money laundering investigations into Cecilia Dapaah's activities.

The Attorney General's office revealed that the file given to EOCO included only the OSP’s letter forwarding the file, the action diary, statements from the investigation, and correspondence from the OSP to entities like the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and banks.

The Attorney General determined that the OSP's request to EOCO for money laundering investigations into Cecilia Dapaah’s dealings was unfounded.

SB/ ADG