The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has once again frozen the bank accounts and assets of former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah moments after they were released to her.
An Accra High Court ruled had ruled that the assets of Madam Dapaah that was frozen by the OSP should be released to her due to procedural inconsistencies that were adopted to get the bank accounts and assets frozen.
The OSP, in a statement issued Tuesday, September 5, 2023, said he has obliged by the order of the court to get the accounts of the former minister to her but invoked his statutory powers to freeze the assets again.
“Consequently, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, 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 5 September 2023.
“Further, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that 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.
“Therefore, the Special Prosecutor 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. Authorized officers of the OSP have seized said cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah,” the OSP statement had in some parts.
Madam Cecilia Dapaah is being investigated by the OSP in respect of a suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving the ownership and source(s) of large amounts of money associated with her.
This came up after she reported a theft case in her home which had huge sums of monies being stolen from her bedroom.
The case warranted the involvement of the OSP to investigate the woman who resigned from her ministerial position following the questions that were being raised due to the sums involved in the case.
Two househelps of her who were accused are standing trial with five others whilst one other suspect is at large.
READ ALSO: High Court orders OSP to return Cecilia Dapaah’s seized money in 7 days
