Cecilia Dapaah Scandal: OSP Drops All Cases Against Former Minister, Ordered To Return Seized Assets

• The Office of the Special Prosecutor has withdrawn all cases against Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Dapaah
• A high court has ordered the Office of the Special Prosecutor to return the former minister's seized assets
• Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng said the Economic and Organised Crime Office would take over the case

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has been ordered by the High Court to return the seized assets of the former minister for sanitation and water resources, Cecilia Dapaah, to her within 72 hours, following the scandal she was embroiled in.

The order follows an application by the office to confirm the seizure orders regarding the bank accounts and assets belonging to Dapaah.

This decision was taken after a series of in-chamber hearings at the Financial and Economic Crimes Division of the Accra High Court on Thursday, January 25, 2024.

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The office has also withdrawn all its legal actions against the former minister.

The cases withdrawn include an application for a confirmation order to continue to freeze the assets of the former minister and a criminal case accusing the former minister of failing to declare her assets.

At a later press conference, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng indicated that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) would take over the case.

Background to the scandal

Dapaah faced public scrutiny for alleged corruption after losing $1 million, €300,000, and an undisclosed amount of Ghana cedis said to have been stolen by her house helps. The scandal eventually led to her resignation.

Investigators also reportedly tracked $5 million GH¢48 million moving through Dapaah’s Prudential Bank accounts. It was also reported that the special prosecutor found $590,000 and GH¢2.7 million in cash while searching Dapaah's Abelemkpe residence.

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At a point, the special prosecutor seized her money and froze accounts estimated to total about GH¢2.83 million as part of the investigation into corruption and corruption-related activities.

US law enforcement agency FBI also joined the fray and began investigations into the embattled former sanitation minister.

Wife of Dapaah's late brother storms court over $800k

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that the wife of the late brother of Dapaah demanded $800,000 her husband purportedly gave to the former minister's family before his death.

The former sanitation minister claimed her late mother gave her the money for safekeeping.

The $800,000 is part of the $1 million, €300,000 and thousands of Ghana cedis allegedly stolen from the former sanitation minister's home by domestic workers.

Source: YEN.com.gh