An Accra High Court has mandated the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to return seized funds to former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, within 72 hours. This directive comes as a result of an application by the OSP to confirm freezing and seizure orders related to bank accounts and assets at Dapaah's residence.

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During a press conference on Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, revealed that the OSP has discontinued its application for the confirmation of seizure and freezing orders. Instead, the case will be handed over to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigation.

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Mr Agyebeng emphasized that his probe has uncovered evidence pointing towards a suspected case of money laundering, a matter more appropriately handled by EOCO."A little over an hour ago, the Office discontinued its application that was pending before the High Court for confirmation of the seizure and freezing orders in pursuance of the referral of the case to EOCO.

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The court ordered that the office should return the cash sums and defreeze the accounts of an investment of Mrs. Dapaah within 72 hours," Agyebeng stated.The SP highlighted the cross-border nature of the investigation, which led to the involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from the United States back in October 2023.

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The collaborative efforts sought to unravel the legality surrounding the wealth amassed by Cecilia Dapaah and her associates, spanning both Ghana and the United States.Speaking on the matter, Agyebeng expressed the intent to maintain close collaboration with EOCO and continue working with the FBI as the case progresses.

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Background:The saga surrounding Cecilia Dapaah initially surfaced during the trial of two house helps, Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei, accused of stealing significant sums and items from the minister's residence. The alleged thefts, which occurred between July and October 2022, involved personal effects valued at GH¢95,000 and US$95,000, among other items.

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Following the arrest of the house helps, the case took a complex turn, implicating additional individuals, including one of the accused's current and former boyfriends and her father, on charges of dishonestly receiving stolen money. The accused individuals were arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court in July 2023, and the case garnered public attention with calls for thorough investigations into the source of the funds.

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As the legal landscape surrounding Cecilia Dapaah's case continues to evolve, Ghanaians await further developments from EOCO and the potential reexamination of the source of the funds that sparked this high-profile investigation.

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