The Accra High Court has issued a directive to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to return seized funds to former Minister Cecilia Dapaah within the next 72 hours.
The court order comes after the OSP applied to confirm freezing and seizure orders about Dapaah’s bank accounts and assets.
During a press conference, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng announced that the OSP would discontinue its application before the High Court, transferring the case to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Mr. Agyebeng stated, “The court ordered that the office should return the cash sums and defreeze the accounts of an investment of Mrs. Dapaah within 72 hours.” He further emphasized that the investigation revealed suspicions of money laundering, making EOCO more suitable to handle such cases.
The probe into Cecilia Dapaah’s finances gained international attention when, in October 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) joined forces with the OSP to investigate her and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour.
The collaborative effort aimed to scrutinize the legality surrounding the amassed wealth of the former Sanitation Minister and her associates, spanning both Ghana and the United States.
Special Prosecutor Agyebeng asserted that his office would maintain close collaboration with EOCO and continue working with the FBI on the ongoing investigation.
The case against Cecilia Dapaah and her husband originated from charges against their house helps, Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei. The two individuals face charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, involving thefts of millions of cedis worth of items between July and October 2022.
The stolen items, including clothes, handbags, perfumes, and jewellery, were reported to be valued at significant amounts. Ms. Botwe is specifically accused of stealing Kente cloth and men’s suits belonging to Minister Dapaah’s husband.
In addition to the house helps, three other individuals, allegedly linked to the theft, are facing charges for dishonestly receiving varying amounts of money. Court proceedings have revealed that the stolen funds and items were taken from the couple’s bedroom.
While Sarah Agyei has been granted bail, Patience Botwe, along with her alleged accomplices, has been remanded into lawful custody. The investigations have also triggered calls from the public for institutions like CHRAJ, the OSP, and the Ghana Police Service to delve deeper into the source of the money involved in the thefts.
