Former President John Mahama has voiced his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the probe into alleged corruption involving ex-Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
The investigation centered on accusations against two house helps employed by Mrs. Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour.
The employees, Patience Botwe (18) and Sarah Agyei (30), faced charges in the Accra Circuit Court for reportedly stealing valuables worth millions of cedis from the couple’s residence in Abelemkpe, Accra, between July and October 2022.
The stolen items included US$1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis.
Upon referral of the case to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for a money laundering investigation by the Special Prosecutor, the Attorney General’s Office advised against initiating such proceedings.
They stressed the necessity of proving that financial gains stemmed from criminal activities to pursue money laundering charges effectively.
Additionally, the Attorney General’s Office suggested that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) handle inquiries into the source of Cecilia Dapaah’s funds.
Expressing his disappointment with these developments, former President Mahama indicated his intention to reopen investigations into the alleged corruption involving the former Sanitation Minister if elected in the 2024 general elections.
Meanwhile, Mary Awelana Addah, Executive Director of Ghana Integrity Initiatives (GII), criticized EOCO’s handling of the case. She suggested that while EOCO may seek legal advice from the AG’s Office, it should have continued its independent investigation until it reached a point requiring prosecutorial guidance.
Addah emphasized the importance of EOCO pursuing investigations diligently to their conclusion before consulting external entities for prosecution advice.
“But then it is what it is; it is very unfortunate; let me not mince words at all. The impression this is creating is that we can always get away with anything, particularly when it comes to issues around allegations of corruption because we would use the weakness in the regime or legal regime to get away with them,” she said.