Cecilia Dapaah responds to claims of tainted assets amid ongoing legal battle

She asserts that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is infringing upon its own legal framework and is engaging in an arbitrary process driven solely by suspicion fueled by distorted representation and media frenzy.

Currently entangled in a legal dispute, the OSP is pursuing a court order to validate the freezing of Cecilia Abena Dapaah's bank account and the confiscation of properties located within her residence, which they suspect to have been acquired through illegal means.

This move follows the recent revelation of stolen funds by her domestic staff, prompting the OSP to conduct searches at her residences.

The searches targeted three properties belonging to Cecilia Abena Dapaah situated in Cantonments, Abelemkpe, and Tesano.

The OSP's investigation unveiled substantial sums of money during the search at the Abelemkpe residence on July 24. The search yielded a cash amount of US$590,000 and GHȼ2,730,000, both of which were confiscated by the Special Prosecutor's officials from the Prudential Bank and Societe Generale Ghana.

In response, Cecilia Dapaah's legal representatives have strongly contested any wrongdoing associated with the funds in question, maintaining that the acquisition of these assets was carried out within the confines of the law.

The case's court proceedings have been adjourned until August 31, 2023, during which the ruling on whether to uphold the freezing of the former Minister's assets as requested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor will be determined.

Background

The emergence of this legal battle comes in the wake of a separate incident involving Cecilia Abena Dapaah's household staff.

Two individuals, Patience Botwe (18 years old) and Sarah Agyei (30 years old), employed by Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, are currently facing charges for their alleged involvement in stealing significant sums of money and valuable items from the couple's Abelemkpe residence between July and October 2022. The charges include conspiracy to commit a crime and multiple counts of theft.

As the legal proceedings unfold, Cecilia Abena Dapaah remains steadfast in her defence against allegations surrounding the discovered assets, underscoring the need for a fair and transparent investigation process.