Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Oda constituency, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has stepped forward to defend Cecilia Dapaah, the former sanitation minister, amidst the incident involving stolen money.
The lawmaker believes it is unjust for Ghanaians to criticize the former minister without concrete evidence of her involvement in any wrongdoing.
During a panel discussion on UTV’s Adekye Nsroma, the Oda MP asserted that the responsibility for the missing funds should be attributed to the accused house girls who are alleged to have committed the theft.
He emphasized the need to discourage any attempts to exploit the situation for political advantage.
“The way we are accusing g her, condemning her and sentencing her… as a result she has resigned…I wouldn’t say that people should praise her that she has done well but the condemnation should be directed to those that stole the money because now politicians are using the issue for political gains. And when you look at her resignation letter, she feels like she is clean so as a result she has resigned, but how people are treating the issue it seems like someone that has been sentenced to death.”
Cecilia Dapaah has since July 22 resigned her ministerial position and has been arrested and released on bail by the Special Prosecutor after a search was conducted at her residence.
Meanwhile, police have submitted the docket of the case of theft as reported by the minister and her husband to the Attorney-General for advice.
However, some relatives of the former minister have also been questioned about the stolen monies from her Abelemkpe residence which led to her resignation from office and the current probe by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Background:
According to an official charge sheet from an Accra Circuit Court, the brazen thefts occurred at the couple’s residence in Abelemkpe, a suburb of Accra, over a three-month period from July to October 2022.
The accused, identified as Patience and Sarah, are facing serious charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime and multiple counts of stealing involving staggering amounts of money.
Not only were monetary assets stolen, but the accused also allegedly made off with personal belongings of Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, such as valuable clothes, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry. The stolen items amounted to a shocking value of GH¢95,000 and US$95,000.
Further accusations involved Patience acting alone in the theft of cultural treasures, including six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belonged to the minister’s husband.
The court has also charged three additional individuals in connection with the thefts, revealing the complexity of the case.
The accused allegedly used the stolen funds to finance various properties and purchases, including renting a 3-bedroom apartment and a store in Tamale, buying vehicles, and funding other personal expenses.
The court has adjourned the case to August 2, 2023, while investigations continue.