Cecilia Dapaah’s $1m theft case: Ex-househelp seeks bail, boyfriend’s bail request refused

Lawyers of 18-year-old Patience Botwe who is said to be the mastermind of the $1 million and 300,000 euros theft case at the residence of the former minister for Sanitation, Madam Cecilia Dapaah, have filed a formal bail application at the Circuit Court in Accra for their client.

The application for bail has however been opposed by the Prosecution which was served on her lawyers on Tuesday morning (September 5, 2023).

Nana Addo Asrifi, lead counsel for Patience Botwe, however, prayed for a short adjournment to enable him respond to the Prosecution’s affidavit in opposition.

In court on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, the Circuit Court presided over by Her Honour Afia Owusuaa Appiah, refused the bail application filed on behalf of Benjamin Sowah, the boyfriend of Patience Botwe.

The court said his role in the alleged theft case and the manner in which he was arrested in Tamale, the court is inclined to grant him bail at this stage of the case.

Yahaya Sumaila, Excavator operator who is the seventh accused person had his bail application granted by the court.

This was after the prosecution led by Akosua Agyaponmaa Agyemang, Assistant State Attorney said the Prosecution does not oppose the bail.

Sumaila was then admitted to bail in the sum of GHc300, 000 with two sureties to be justified whom the court said should be resident within the jurisdiction.

He is also to deposit his passport at the registry of the court and report to the police once every forth night.

More time to conclude investigation

The Assistant State Attorney while seeking for a two-week adjournment said, the investigators have informed their office that, they will need more time to conclude on investigations.

She said, the delay in concluding on investigations is as a result of the directions given to the investigators upon Attorney General’s office advice on the case docket.

DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye, the police prosecutor added that, currently, the investigators are in Kumasi conducting further investigation.

The Court has since directed the prosecution to expedite action on investigations to ensure the trial commence.

The court also directed the Prosecution to file their disclosures by the next court date but the lawyers in the case wanted the disclosures filed before the next court sitting.

EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, who was in court reports that, the bail granted to Sumaila, brings the number to those granted bail to four out of the seven.

However, the three others, Job Pomary, Sarah Agyei and Christina Achab – both lactating mothers are still in lawful custody and have not been able to meet their respective bail conditions.

The case has been adjourned to September 19, 2023.

Accused persons

Seven persons – Patience Botwe, 18, hairdresser, Sarah Agyei, 30, unemployed, Benjamin Sowah, 29, plumber, Malik Dauda,34, unemployed, Christiana Achab, a trader, Job Pomary, a mechanic, and Yahaya Sumaila, Excavator operator, have been slapped with 14 counts.

Their respective pleas have not been taken as Prosecutors say investigations are winding up.

On August 8, 2023, when the charged sheet was amended, Sarah Agyei and Christiana Achab said to be nursing mothers were each granted one million cedis bail to be justified by three sureties.

The sureties are also to deposit their Ghana Cards with the registrar of the court and not travel outside of the jurisdiction.

But, they are still in lawful custody as they are yet to meet their bail conditions.

They are on 14 provisional counts of charges comprising of a count of conspiracy, five counts of conspiracy and eight counts of dishonestly receiving.