The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has complied with an order of an Accra High Court to return the seized cash belonging to former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah and unfreeze her bank accounts.
The order was given last Thursday, August 31 and was to be complied with within seven days.
In a press release on Tuesday, September 5, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng indicated that the cash was returned to Madam Abena Dapaah in the presence herself and her lawyers earlier in the day.
“The satisfaction by the OSP of the order of the High Court terminates the proceedings of the seizure of the cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah commenced on 24 July 2023 and the freezing of her bank accounts and investments effected from 26 July 2023,” he stated.
“However, the investigations by the OSP in respect of Ms Dapaah for suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving the ownership and source(s) of large amounts of money associated with Ms Dapaah has been and is still ongoing,” he pointed out.
As a result, the OSP immediately seized the monies as well as put a freeze on the bank accounts as per section 38(1) of Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of LI 2374.
“Subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the ongoing investigations by the OSP of Ms Dapaah has uncovered varying and sometimes conflicting accounts of the ownership and source(s) of the large amounts of money reportedly stolen from her residence, the cash amounts seized from her by the OSP and the nature and volume of transactions in her bank accounts and investment.”