Sources of Cecilia Dapaah’s monies explained - Report

The sources of monies of the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, have been explained in a newspaper report by The Chronicle, dated November 13, 2023.

According to the report, these sources include contributions for family funerals, funds from an extended family member for a construction project, and financial support from a deceased brother.

Of the total amount stolen, GH¢300,000 was identified as a family contribution towards the funeral of Cecilia Dapaah's mother.

The Assistant State Prosecutor (ASP), Akosua Agyapongmaa Agyeman, provided these details to Justice Marie-Louisa Simmons, the presiding judge of the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court, during a session on Friday, November 10, 2023.

ASP Akosua told the court that €300,000 and GH¢50,000 of the monies stolen were identified as assets of Daniel Osei Kuffour (husband) and Cecilia Dapaah.

The list of allegedly stolen items include five suits valued at $2,500, five pieces of kente valued at GH¢75,000, jewellery valued at $95,000, female kente, Hollandaise and GTP cloth totalling GH¢56,000, dresses worth GH¢20,000, handbags at $35,000, and perfumes at $1,400.

Additionally, it was reported that approximately GH¢6 million of the embezzled funds were allegedly used to finance the lavish lifestyle of Patience Botwe, the 18-year-old maid involved in the case.

Background

The move is aimed at examining their assets and financial transactions within the United States of America.

In a tweet posted on October 11, the OSP said, “This collaborative effort is to ascertain the lawfulness of Ms. Dapaah and her associates' wealth, both in the context of their funds transitioning from Ghana to the United States and vice versa.”
Cecilia Dapaah was on October 10, 2023 charged by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for her failure to comply with a directive requiring her to declare her assets and financial holdings.

In August, the OSP had launched an investigation into Cecilia Dapaah after a significant amount of both foreign and local currency was discovered at her residence during a search, along with additional funds found in her bank accounts.

The OSP alleges that Cecilia Dapaah, who is currently under investigation for corruption-related offenses and other matters, had refused to provide the required documentation for the declaration of her assets and income since July 24, 2023.

Consequently, the former minister has been charged with a single count of failing to adhere to a lawful demand made by an authorized officer of the Office of the Special Prosecutor in the execution of their duties, which is in violation of section 69(1)(a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).

The OSP has been investigating the former minister of Sanitation, Cecilia Dapaah after an alleged sum of $1 million dollars and 300,000 euros were stolen from her Abelempke residence by her two house helps.

So far, the state has charged some 8 persons who are facing criminal charges for the alleged theft case.

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