OSP seizes cash returned to Cecilia Dapaah after complying with court order to unfreeze her accounts and return it
Drama is unfolding in the matter of the investigation of former minister of State, Cecilia Abena Dapaah by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
After complying with a court order to unfreeze Ms Dapaah’s bank accounts and investments and return cash seized from her home as part of investigations of suspected corruption and corruption related offences against her, the OSP has again invoked his statutory power under section 32(1)(a) of Act 959 by directing the seizure from Ms. Dapaah of the cash amounts previously seized from her, and authorized officers of the OSP have done so.
In a press release copied to Ghana Business News, the OSP said it has complied with the ruling and order of the High Court, Accra dated August 31, 2023 by unfreezing the frozen bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
“The OSP has also returned the seized cash sums of Ms. Dapaah in the presence and assent of Ms. Dapaah and her lawyers. The satisfaction by the OSP of the order of the High Court terminates the proceedings of the seizure of the cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah commenced on July 24, 2023 and the freezing of her bank accounts and investments effected from July 26, 2023,” it said.
However, the Special Prosecutor says he has reasonable grounds to suspect that the cash amounts seized from and returned to Ms. Dapaah is tainted property and it is necessary to exercise the power of seizure to prevent the concealment or loss of said cash amounts.
The OSP further argues that subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the Office with said ruling and order, the ongoing investigation by the OSP of Ms. Dapaah has uncovered varying and sometimes conflicting accounts of the ownership and source(s) of the large amounts of money reportedly stolen from her residence, the cash amounts seized from her by the OSP, and the nature and volume of transactions in her bank accounts and investments.
“The Special Prosecutor considers that freezing the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah is necessary to facilitate the ongoing investigation. Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has invoked his statutory power under section 38(1) of Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 by directing the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah effective September 5, 2023,” the OSP said.
When news broke of Ms Dapaah making a report to the police about her house helps stealing large sums of money from her residence and the matter went to court, the OSP moved in to arrest and investigate the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.
The OSP immediately started investigating Ms Dapaah for suspected corruption and corruption related offences. As part of the process, the OSP searched her residence and seized monies found there believing the money is tainted, by invoking its statutory power under section 32(1)(a) of Act 959.
The OSP then applied to the courts to freeze Ms Dapaah’s bank accounts while the investigations continue. But an Accra High Court ruled against the OSP and ordered it to unfreeze Ms Dapaah’s Bank accounts and return the cash seized from her house.
The OSP disagreed with the ruling of the court but complied.
However, today, September 5, 2023, the OSP announced that it returned the seized cash and unfrozen the bank accounts and investments of the former minister, but seized the cash again as investigations continue.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
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