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In a recent press release on Monday, October 16, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken the decision to lift the freezing order on five of former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah’s bank accounts. This development comes amidst an ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption and corruption-related offenses tied to substantial financial resources and valuable assets associated with Ms. Dapaah. However, it’s important to note that the freezing order remains in effect for other bank accounts and financial assets owned by Ms. Dapaah.
The OSP’s investigation into the matter was initiated in July 2023, seeking to uncover potential corruption within the activities of Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources. As part of their efforts to facilitate the investigation, the Special Prosecutor issued a freezing order on several of Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts and financial assets.
Prior to this development, Ms. Dapaah had already been charged by the OSP for her failure to declare her income and property. In an official statement of offense filed at the High Court on October 6, the OSP claimed that Cecilia Dapaah had neglected to respond to a notice requiring her to declare her property within the stipulated 30-day period, as mandated by the OSP Act. This noncompliance was considered a violation of the OSP Act, prompting the request for appropriate sanctions.
The statement revealed that Ms. Dapaah, aged 68, failed to comply with a notice served by the Special Prosecutor on July 24, 2023, to declare her property and income within the prescribed time frame. This noncompliance was cited as a contravention of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018, specifically referring to regulation 20(1) as outlined in Forms 1A and 1B of the OSP Act.
The decision to unfreeze five of Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts raises questions about the ongoing investigation’s complexity. Although the specific reasons for this change were not detailed in the statement, it implies a differentiation between the frozen assets based on the available evidence.
Furthermore, the OSP’s press release follows their request to the Chief Justice for the recusal of Justice Edward Twum from all cases involving Cecilia Dapaah. The OSP expressed concerns that the judge might hold prejudiced views against their institution, prompting them to seek his removal from all cases related to Ms. Dapaah. This move underscores the contentious and multifaceted nature of the ongoing investigations involving the former Minister.
