Speaking out against the tide of criticism targeting Dapaah, Okudzeto adamantly asserted that there exists no legal framework that condemns the act of keeping cash at home. He emphasized that accusations of wrongdoing must be substantiated with concrete evidence before being levied against an individual.
"The question is, if you come and you find money with me, do I owe any duty to you to explain whose money? When nobody has complained that I have stolen his money, over a million, what difference does it make? Foreign currency?" Okudzeto questioned, highlighting what he perceives as unfair treatment towards Dapaah.
He further criticized what he sees as a double standard in Ghanaian society, pointing out the lack of scrutiny towards individuals who flaunt wealth through extravagant construction projects without proper accountability.
"Look, Ghanaians are not honest people. When you see all these huge buildings that they are building, nobody asked them where they got the money from, when they started it, or when it was completed. Nobody does," Okudzeto remarked during an interview with TV3.
Rejecting the notion of convicting based on circumstantial evidence, Okudzeto emphasized the principle of establishing guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal proceedings. He insisted that without concrete evidence, accusations should not be wielded as instruments of judgment.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) initiated investigations into corruption and corruption-related offences allegedly linked to Dapaah late last year.
This investigation was sparked by the charges brought against two domestic workers for allegedly stealing substantial sums of money and valuable items from Dapaah's residence. Angry reactions from across the country forced Dapaah to resign from her position as the Minister of Sanitation to pave the way for investigation into alleged corruption, money laundering and other allegations levelled against her.
The OSP, on multiple occasions, took decisive action against Dapaah's financial assets. Bank accounts containing millions of dollars and cedis were frozen, only partially released after a court directive, and subsequently re-frozen. These legal manoeuvres underscore the gravity of the allegations against the former minister.
Currently, the fate of the legal battle hangs in the balance as the OSP and the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) have been going back and forth with accusations and counter-accusations.
The OSP handed over Cecilia Dapaah's case to the EOCO for further investigation because an aspect of it bothers on money laundering, which the former has no legal backing to investigate. However, the Office of The Attorney General has advised the EOCO not to carry out the money laundering allegations because they are "baseless".