The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken a series of actions concerning the assets of Cecilia Dapaah, following a court directive to unfreeze her accounts and return her seized cash.
This development occurred subsequent to an order from the Accra High Court, instructing the OSP to unfreeze the accounts and investments of former minister Cecilia Dapaah and return the confiscated funds.
Initially, the OSP complied with the High Court’s ruling, unfreezing Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts and investments as instructed.
However, the OSP has now opted to reinstate the freeze on Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts and investments as of September 5, 2023. This decision stems from ongoing investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related activities involving substantial sums of money connected to Cecilia Dapaah.
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has complied with the ruling and order of the court of the High Court, Accra dated 31 August 2023 by unfreezing the frozen bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Dapaah. The OSP has also returned the seized cash sums of Ms Dapaah in the presence and assent of Ms Dapaah and her lawyers,” part of the statement read.
The statement claims that following the High Court’s decision and order, as well as the adherence to the decision, continued inquiry has turned up contradicting stories of who owns and where the money that was allegedly taken from her home.
The OSP contends that it made a sound conclusion about the former minister.
“Consequently, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with the 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 Acts 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 by directing the freezing of the bank account 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 the 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 tinted property and it is necessary to exercise the power to 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 Ms. Dapaah of the cash amounts previously seized from her. Authorized officers of the OSP have seized said cash amounts from Ms Dapaah,” the statement said.