Former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah has refuted allegations made by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) that she possesses and runs an undisclosed real estate enterprise.
In a press statement issued by the former Minister’s Personal Assistant, Kofi Mensah Asare, it was asserted that these allegations are baseless and inaccurate, and they have the potential to generate public discontent within the family.
He urged the OSP to refrain from engaging in what he referred to as “trial by public opinion,” which he believes can lead to prejudiced judgments in the court.
“Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah has never owned a real estate business. She bought a Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) apartment at Kpone affordable housing scheme for her late mother and later decided to sell it off. How that translates to her owning a real estate business beats human imagination,” Mr Mensah stated.
This comes after the OSP alleged that Cecilia Abena Dapaah “was engaged in undisclosed and undeclared real estate business in which she obscured and concealed the transactions by employing the use of aliases to avoid detection of the actual ownership of the business and properties, while cleverly receiving proceeds of the transactions in her bank account and investments.”
Recently, the OSP confiscated a substantial amount of cash from the former Minister and initiated the freezing of specific bank accounts connected to transactions exceeding ¢40 million.
However, an Accra High Court declined to validate the seizures and the freezing order, instructing the OSP to return the seized funds to Cecilia Dapaah, a directive that was complied with. Nevertheless, the Special Prosecutor has returned to court to seek validation for the seizures.
Furthermore, allegations have been raised against Madam Cecilia Dappah, including claims that an account linked to her deceased brother continued to transfer funds to her accounts. Her personal assistant has refuted all these allegations, providing explanations for why the Special Prosecutor’s claims are inaccurate.
Regarding the bank account of Cecilia Dapaah’s deceased brother, Mr. Mensah clarified that the account was established to receive donations during the funeral proceedings. Following the funeral, the donations were utilized to establish the account, with both Madam Cecilia Dapaah and her elder sister, Madam Alice Dapaah, serving as signatories to the account.
“Does that warrant a headline that her late brother is signing cheques and sending her money?” he quizzed.
Mr Mensah Asare also stated that claims that Madam Dapaah had money hidden in obscure places in her house with some concealed in wraps and clothes, is a figment of the OSP’s imagination.
“Has the OSP forgotten that the husband of Madam Cecilia Dapaah constantly receives cash from people whose building projects he supervises?
“The public is advised to treat the publications and allegations with the contempt they deserve, The OSP is advised to desist from its fiendish delight in trial by the press,” he stressed.