$1m Cecilia Dapaah case: There is cause for worry - Vitus Azeem raises money laundering concerns

Vitus Azeem, an anti-corruption campaigner, has said that there is cause for concern over the $1 million case in which the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, has dragged two of her house helps to the court over.

The two helps, named as Patience and Sarah, are said to have stolen monies form the Abelemkpe house of the minister, including US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana cedis.

Reacting to this case in a phone interview with GhanaWeb, Vitus Azeem said there is every cause for worry since it includes a public office-holder.

He added that beyond that, Ghana has an anti-money laundering law that must be applied in this matter.

“Definitely, it’s something that should raise concerns. We have an anti-money laundering law in this country. When you have taken so huge amount of money and out under your bed, you will then take it by some assets, some property somewhere and legalize the money, if for example, it was not legal at the time you got it.

“So, there's definitely a cause to worry. I would think that there's a need for some investigations to be done into this,” he explained.

Vitus Azeem called for immediate investigation into the matter to save the integrity of the president although he quickly added that he fears nothing drastic will be done about the situation involving the president’s appointee.

“If he wants to set a good example, he needs to commission an immediate investigation into this matter. And then if the investigations come out with findings that show that the monies were acquired illegally, then the necessary actions must be taken.

“But from past experience, we never see these things happen. He's probably likely to come out wrong and say that the minister has done nothing wrong, then the battle will die,” he added.

Also reacting to the news, former President John Dramani Mahama called into question the integrity of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He wondered if the president would ever set a good example with his appointees.

“$1m + €300k and millions of GHS in a Ghanaian Minister’s home? Scandalous!! Even if genuinely acquired, why keep millions of hard currency at home? Will @NAkufoAddo ever set a good example for public office holders in his administration?” he tweeted.

AE/WA