The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has revoked the freezing order for five bank accounts of the former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.

However, other bank accounts and financial assets of Ms Dapaah are still under the freezing order. 

The OSP made this known in a press statement issued on Monday, October 16. 

“On 16 October 2023, the Special Prosecutor revoked the freezing order in respect of the eliminated five (5) bank accounts of Ms. Dapaah.”

“The freezing order is still in force and effect in respect of the other bank accounts and financial assets of Ms Dapaah.”

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) commenced an investigation in July 2023 in respect of suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding large amounts of money and other valuable items involving Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources.

The Special Prosecutor took measures, including issuing a freezing order in respect of the bank accounts and other financial assets of Ms Dapaah to facilitate the investigation.

Earlier, the OSP had charged the embattled former Minister for failing to declare her income and property.

According to the statement of offence filed at the High Court on Friday, October 6, the OSP said Cecilia Dapaah failed to respond to a notice to declare her property served on Monday, July 24, within 30 days as stated in the OSP Act. 

The OSP says this is a contravention of the OSP Act and she must be punished for it.

“Cecilia Abena Dapaah, 68 years, August 25, 2023, in Accra in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana and within the jurisdiction of this Court, being a suspect under investigation for corruption and corruption-related offences including using public office for profit in respect of suspected tainted large cash sums reportedly stolen from your residential premises and also retrieved from same by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, without lawful excuse, failed, within 30 days, to comply with a notice to declare your property and income served on you by the Special Prosecutor on 24 July 2023 under regulation 20(1) per Forms 1A and 1B of the First Schedule of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374) as specified in regulation 20(2) and Form 21 of the First Schedule of the Ofice of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374).”

The Office on Thursday, October 12, also petitioned the Chief Justice to remove Justice Edward Twum from Cecilia Dapaah's case. 

In a Facebook post, the OSP explained that the judge appears to be prejudiced against the institution. 

The Office, therefore, requested Gertrude Torkornoo to have him recuse himself or remove him from all its cases pending before him.

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.

The OSP said it found $590,000 and GH¢2.730,000 in cash at the apartment of the former minister.

Officials from the Office of the Special Prosecutor took immediate action, seizing these substantial cash sums as crucial evidence to support the ongoing investigation.

The OSP also froze seven bank accounts of Cecilia Dapaah.