The controversies surrounding former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah and the huge monies allegedly stolen from her home by house helps, which gained popularity more than a year ago, appear to have resurfaced.

This follows a purported invitation extended to her by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to assist with ongoing investigations under the government’s Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative.

According to police sources, Cecilia Dapaah’s invitation has been necessitated by her alleged misappropriation of state funds during her tenure in office as minister.

Her invitation forms part of a broader effort by the CID, working in collaboration with the Attorney General’s office, to trace and recover assets believed to have been allegedly looted by appointees of past and successive governments.

Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) was set up to gather information on corruption, to be passed on to the appropriate government institutions for further investigation.

President John Dramani Mahama has stressed that no individual will be shielded from scrutiny under the programme.

Cecilia Dapaah’s name was dragged into the mud and she was accused of massive corruption when her two house helps: 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, were alleged to have stolen significant sums of monies from her house.

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According to reports, the thefts, which took place at her residence at Abelemkpe, amounted to millions of Ghana cedis between July and October 2022.

The accused(s), Patience and Sarah, were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing, involving amounts of US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana cedis.

They were also accused of allegedly stealing personal effects from Cecilia Abena Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry valued at US$95,000.

Further accusations involved Patience acting alone to steal six pieces of kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men's suits valued at US$3,000, which belonged to the minister's husband.

NAAB/AE

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