Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu has asserted that the recent revelations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) indicate that the anti-corruption agency is set to give former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a ‘showdown’.
According to him, the information contained in the OSP’s application for seizure of Madam Dapaah’s assets is good enough to make the quest succeed.
Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight show hosted by Alfred Ocansay, Mr. Kpedu said “This is a much stronger application that looks set to give Madam Dapaah a real showdown.”
Mr. Kpebu urged all stakeholders in the fight against public sector corruption to commend the work done by the OSP regarding this issue.
“So, it is good and we must really laud the OSP for the resilience. Yes, this is what we expected and Mr. Kissi Agyabeng didn’t waste time in re-seizing the currency and that’s the application for the currency, so that’s great” he applauded on September 19, 2023.
The private legal practitioner alleged that from all indications, the amount of money involved cannot be proceeds from Madam Dapaah’s personal business.
“It points in the direction of corruption and corruption-related offences, because as it were, you would see that these monies are not supported by Madam Dapaah’s income. That’s the key thing. How did she come by that money? What business did she do to earn that income? So, once she’s not able to explain her source of wealth, then we are in the realm of corruption and corruption-related offences. Because they look like bribe because she can’t explain and what is it that she can’t explain?” he asked.
Madam Dapaah has been involved in controversy arising out of the theft of huge sums of money, both in local and foreign currencies by two former house maids at her private residence.
In July this year, she resigned after huge backlash from the public for keeping such huge sums at home. The Special Prosecutor (SP), Mr. Kissi Agyabeng then seized the monies and ordered the freezing of her bank accounts. An Accra High Court refused to confirm the seizing and freezing order and directed the OSP to return the money to Madam Dapaah.
The SP on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 reapplied for the seizure and freezing orders and revealed some findings he made during his investigations conducted at the former Minister’s residence.
Esther Nyantakyiwaa Akaba