The case involving the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, has taken another dramatic turn.
Just days after the public revelation of stolen money by her house helps, the Office of the Special Prosecutor searched the minister’s residences in light of the substantial amounts that have been reported missing.
Three properties belonging to Cecilia, located in Cantonments, Abelemkpe, and Tesano, were subjected to a search.
Fresh details from the Office of the Special Prosecutor reveal that a cash amount of US$590,000 was discovered during the search at the Abelemkpe home.
At the same residence, a sum of GHȼ2,730,000 in cash was found.
Officials from the Office of the Special Prosecutor subsequently seized these cash sums to aid ongoing investigations.
Details of the amounts found in some of her accounts were also included in the documents intercepted by JoyNews.
These are accounts at the Prudential Bank and Societe Generale Ghana.
Sources also say the office found $5 million, ¢48 million found in Cecelia Dapaah’s Prudential Bank accounts.
Also, it found ¢1 million cedis in investments and ¢700,000 in cash in her Societe General account.
Meanwhile, an Accra High Court has set Thursday, August 17, to rule on the confirmation or otherwise of the freezing of these bank accounts.
Background
Two househelps working for Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour are facing charges for allegedly stealing monies and items worth millions of cedis from the couple’s residence at Abelemkpe in Accra.
The accused individuals, 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing.
The alleged thefts occurred between July and October 2022.
During this period, the house helps allegedly stole personal effects belonging to Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewellery worth US$95,000.
Additionally, Ms Botwe is accused of stealing six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belong to the minister’s husband.
Furthermore, three other individuals, identified as Ms Botwe’s current and former boyfriends and her father, are also facing charges for allegedly being involved in the crime. They have been respectively charged with dishonestly receiving GH¢1 million, GH¢180,000, and GH¢50,000.
According to court proceedings, the stolen monies and items belonged to Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, taken from their bedroom in their residence.
The accused individuals were arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Susana Ekuful, on Thursday, July 20, 2023. However, their pleas have not been taken yet.
The court granted bail to Sarah Agyei in the sum of GH¢1 million with two sureties. The sureties are required to deposit their Ghana cards with the court’s registrar. The bail conditions are subject to review by the substantive judge, as Susana Ekuful was serving as a relief judge.
On the other hand, Ms Botwe, along with her alleged boyfriends and father, have been remanded into lawful custody.
The complainants reported the theft case to the police in June 2023 after discovering the missing cash and personal effects.
Ms Botwe was caught red-handed entering the couple’s room with a duplicate key, leading to her arrest.
Further investigations revealed that Patience, with the help of her alleged accomplice Sarah, had hidden the stolen money and used it to purchase properties and expensive items.
This information got Ghanaians talking with many asking CHRAJ, the OSP and the Ghana Police Service to investigate the source of the money.
Subsequently, the Special Prosecutor announced that his office was investigating the matter, starting with the arrest of Madam Cecilia Dapaah.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Tano North, Freda Prempeh, to take over as Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources since the resignation of Madam Cecilia Dapaah from office.
