The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) of the United States of America (USA) has initiated inquiries into activities of former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
The investigations, according to a note from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), will primarily focus on examining assets and financial transactions within the US.
In the note released by the OSP on Wednesday, October 11, this is “to ascertain the lawfulness of Ms. Dapaah and her associates’ wealth, both in the context of their funds transitioning from Ghana to the United States and vice versa”.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)@USEmbassyGhana have initiated concurrent inquiries into the activities of Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, and her associates. These…
— Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) October 11, 2023
This is said to be a collaborative effort between the FBI and OSP.
It comes barely a day after lawyers of the former Sanitation Minister filed an affidavit at the Human Rights Division of the High Court, seeking an interlocutory injunction on investigations being conducted by Ghana’s OSP.
The former Bantama MP had described as “unfair, unreasonable, capricious, arbitrary and ultra vires” the re-seizure of her monies and re-freezing of her accounts and property.
“I am advised by Counsel and verily believe same to be true that to prevent further violation of my constitutionally guaranteed rights and rendering my application for judicial review otiose, it is imperative that the Respondent is restrained from continuing his investigation pending the determination of my said application,” her affidavit in response to OSP’s suit prayed.
The OSP aside its suit in investigating corruption and corruption-related offences against Madam Cecilia Dapaah had charged her for failing to declare her income upon a lawful demand.
But, according to the OSP, she failed to do so after 30 days contrary to Section 69(1)(a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017, Act 959.
“As at close of business on 5 October 2023, the Accused had willfully failed, without lawful excuse, to return the duly completed statutory forms to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, more than thirty (30) days after the service of the notice and forms to her.”
The former minister is expected to file a response to this charge.