The Special Prosecutor has ask the High Court of Accra’s Financial Division to confirm its order to freeze seven bank accounts belonging to the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, which contain both local and foreign currency.
A letter the OSP wrote to two banks (names withheld) instructing them to “with immediate effect direct the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Abena Dapaah with your bank pending investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of your customer” can be found in court documents filed by the OSP on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.
This order is effective immediately and is applicable to any financial accounts and assets held by the former minister at any branch of your bank.
Court set date to decide the fate of Cecilia Dapaah’s money
Your bank shall not permit any transaction on the accounts or investments without the written consent of the Office of the Special Prosecutor until this order is withdrawn or expires.
According to the records, the OSP followed section 38 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) when taking the action.
According to the OSP document, Cecilia Dapaah has seven accounts (three of them are with one bank and four with the other).
Following the discovery that Madam Dapaah was keeping more than $1 million in her Abelemkpe residence, the OSP opened a corruption and corruption-related offence investigation into her.
This occurs as the police and attorney general are pursuing criminal charges against those who are said to have stolen money from the minister’s home.
When the Chronicle Newspaper revealed that Madam Dapaah’s domestic workers had been prosecuted for allegedly stealing $1 million, $300,000 euros, numerous millions of cedis, and the personal belongings of the former minister and her husband in July 2023, the story quickly went viral.
Following a widespread outcry, Cecilia Dapaah resigned from her post. The OSP detained her, and she was eventually released on bond.
On July 24, 2023, representatives from the Office of the Special Prosecutor searched the former minister of sanitation’s home.
In the letter, the OSP claimed to have discovered US$590,000 and GH2.730,000 in the former Minister’s Abelemkpe home.
