The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has refuted claims made by the Attorney-General that Cecilia Abena Dapaah has been cleared of money laundering charges.
The OSP insists that a thorough investigation is necessary before any conclusions can be drawn regarding the former minister’s alleged offenses.
Speaking on Citi FM, Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the OSP, Samuel Appiah Darko, emphasized that the OSP has not cleared Cecilia Dapaah of any wrongdoing. He urged the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to be transparent with the public about their decision not to pursue the investigation, rather than shifting blame onto the OSP.
EOCO’s Executive Director, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, revealed during a media interaction at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa that steps were being taken to return the docket to the OSP. This decision came after the OSP forwarded Cecilia Dapaah’s docket to EOCO for investigation, as the money laundering charges fell under EOCO’s jurisdiction.
Despite EOCO’s assertion that they are returning the dockets to the OSP following advice from the Attorney-General, Mr. Appiah Darko challenged EOCO to admit their lack of interest in investigating and prosecuting Cecilia Dapaah, instead of trying to shift responsibility to the OSP.
The saga began when Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, reported her housemaids for allegedly stealing significant sums of money from her residence in Abelenkpe. The OSP conducted a preliminary investigation and discovered additional amounts of money in her home, leading to suspicions of money laundering.
The Attorney-General’s advice to EOCO not to proceed with the investigation further complicates the matter.
