The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has re-seized monies from former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah’s residence and re-frozen her bank accounts.
A statement from the OSP said the act was in accordance with a ruling and order issued by the High Court in Accra on August 31, 2023.
The OSP earlier returned the cash that was seized from Ms Dapaah, with her consent and in the presence of her legal representatives.
The Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, in the latest statement, explained these actions aligned with the court’s directives and effectively concluded the proceedings related to the seizure of cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah, which were initiated on July 24, 2023, and the subsequent freezing of her bank accounts and investments starting from July 26, 2023.
However, he added that the investigation into Ms. Dapaah for alleged corruption and corruption-related offences, particularly pertaining to the ownership and source of significant sums of money associated with her, remains ongoing.
Subsequent to the High Court’s ruling and the OSP’s compliance with it, the investigation has revealed conflicting accounts concerning the ownership and source of the substantial sums of money reportedly discovered at her residence, the cash sums seized by the OSP, and the nature and extent of transactions within her bank accounts and investments.
In light of these developments and considering the need to facilitate the ongoing investigation, the Special Prosecutor has exercised his statutory authority under section 38(1) of Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of LI. 2374.
This action involves directing the re-freezing of Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts and investments, effective from September 5, 2023.
Furthermore, given the Special Prosecutor’s reasonable suspicion that the previously seized cash sums may be linked to illicit activities, he has invoked his statutory power under section 32(1)(a) of Act 959.
This power allows for the seizure of the cash amounts previously taken from Ms. Dapaah. Authorized personnel from the OSP have successfully seized these funds from Ms. Dapaah.
Below is a statement to that effect.
