Cecilia Dapaah: Special Prosecutor Freezes Accounts, Seizes Monies Again

Former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah is not getting the money the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) seized from her house any time soon.

This is because the OSP has invoked its powers to still take custody of the amount days after the High Court asked the office to return the money.

The Accra High Court last week ordered the OSP to return the money in question and unfreeze Ms Dapaah’s frozen bank accounts.

Although the OSP in a statement said it had complied with the order, it said investigations were still ongoing and believes the money in question is tainted hence the decision to take custody of the amount.

The OSP has also frozen Cecilia Dapaah’s accounts again.

“Consequently, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that freezing the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah is necessary to facilitate the ongoing investigation. Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has invoked his statutory power under section 38(1) of Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 by directing the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah effective 5 September 2023.”

“Further, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that he has reasonable grounds to suspect that the cash amounts seized from and returned to Ms. Dapaah is tainted property and it is necessary to exercise the power of seizure to prevent the concealment or loss of said cash amounts. Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has again invoked his statutory power under section 32(1)(a) of Act 959 by directing the seizure from Ms. Dapaah of the cash amounts previously seized from her. Authorized officers of the OSP have tried said cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah.

Background

Madam Dapaah, former Sanitation Minister became the talk of the town in July 2023, when the Chronicle Newspaper reported that her domestic helps had been dragged to court for allegedly stealing $1 million, 300,000 euros, several millions of cedis and personal effects of the former minister and her husband valued at thousands of Ghana Cedis and dollars.

Cecilia Dapaah subsequently resigned from her position after a public uproar. She was arrested by the OSP and was later granted bail.

Officials from the Office of the Special Prosecutor on Monday, July 24, 2023, searched the home of the former Minister of Sanitation.