Court orders Special Prosecutor to return Cecilia Dapaah's seized money within seven days

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has been directed by an Accra High Court to return cash amounts seized from the residence of the former Minister of Sanitation, Cecilia Dapaah within seven days.

According to a Citi News report, the development comes after the OSP seized the monies found to have been stashed in the home of Cecilia Dapaah who has been under investigation by the Office.

Madame Cecilia Daapah, has been in a legal tussle with the OSP after the institution froze her assets, including her bank accounts.

She is currently under investigation by the OSP for corruption and corruption-related offences after two of her house helps have been charged for stealing more than $1 million, €300,000 in cash and other valuable items from her residence at Abelemkpe.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Attorney General and the Police are prosecuting persons alleged to have stolen monies belonging to or owned by the former minister.

Background:

The OSP filed an application for the court to confirm its freeze order of some of Cecilia Dapaah's assets including her bank accounts and monies found at her properties.

GhanaWeb, on August 9, 2023, reported that the embattled former minister of sanitation and water resources assets and bank accounts containing millions of dollars and cedis have been frozen by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.



Documents sighted by GhanaWeb from our sources at the court also confirmed that the Office of the Special Prosecutor has commenced processes to have this administrative freeze confirmed and endorsed by the courts.

The powers of the OSP permit it to administratively freeze the accounts of a person of interest but beyond that, it will need the confirmation of the court to keep the account(s) frozen for a longer period.

The embattled former minister has been in the spotlight following an alleged theft that occurred in her Abelemkpe residence in Accra.

Her house helps are accused of having stolen monies in excess of one million dollars and other valuables belonging to her and her husband at home.

The OSP’s investigation into the former minister’s affairs is separate and different from the investigations by the police and the office of the Attorney General.

The OSP is investigating the minister for corruption and corruption-related offences while the AG and police are prosecuting persons alleged to have stolen monies belonging to or owned by the former minister.

MA/NOQ

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