Cecilia Dapaah Scandal: Domelevo And Over 100 Others Petition Parliament To Probe EOCO
- Former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo is part of the petition to probe the Economic and Organised Crime Office
- The petition is challenging the office’s non-action on former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah's alleged corruption
- The Economic and Organised Crime Office has denied claims it doesn’t want to probe the Cecilia Dapaah case
Former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo and over 100 Ghanaians have petitioned Parliament to probe the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over the fraught investigation of former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.
The group, which includes Martin Kpebu and security analyst Dr Adam Bona, contend that EOCO has enough evidence to probe Dapaah.
Source: Facebook
“The failure to explain the source of the money should have been the cornerstone of the investigation,” the petition stated.
The petition was submitted to Parliament on Thursday, May 16, 2024. The petition also said EOCO has been inconsistent with their public commentary and actions in the investigation.
The development comes after the standoff between the state anti-corruption agencies investigating the former minister over the stash of money.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor said EOCO did not have the appetite to prosecute Dapaah after the case was forwarded. EOCO has denied this suggestion.
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 reportedly tracked $5 million and 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.
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. A high court later ordered the return of the seized assets of the former minister.
ASEPA gives verdict on corruption fight
The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability criticised the handling of the Cecilia Dapaah case.
ASEPA’s boss, Mensah Thompson, told YEN.com.gh that the handling of the case was evidence of a lost corruption fight because the Economic and Organised Crime Office and the Office of the Special Prosecutor are at odds over the case.
Thompson suggested that there should have been more urgency from the two agencies.
“To see independent officers of accountability playing chess with the serious matter of corruption of this magnitude, which involves asset declaration, non-disclosure and illicit enrichment,” he said.
Proofread by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
