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The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken multiple actions regarding the assets of Cecilia Dapaah after it was directed by the court to unfreeze the accounts of Cecilia Dapaah and return her seized cash.
This comes after an Accra High Court directed the office to unfreeze the accounts and investment of the former minister, Cecilia Dapaah and return her seized monies.
Initially, the OSP complied with the ruling and order from the High Court in Accra by unfreezing Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts and investments.
However, it argued that with respect to suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving the ownership and source(s) of large amounts of money associated Cecilia Dapaah, it has again directed for the freezing of the bank account and investments of the former minister effective 5 September 2023
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has complied with the ruling and order of the court of the High Court, Accra dated 31 August 2023 by unfreezing the frozen bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Dapaah. The OSP has also returned the seized cash sums of Ms Dapaah in the presence and assent of Ms Dapaah and her lawyers,” part of the statement read.
According to the statement, after the ruling and order from the High Court and the compliance with the said ruling, ongoing investigation has uncovered conflicting accounts of the ownership and source(s) of the large amounts of money reportedly stolen from her residence.
The OSP argues that there are reasonable grounds to support its decision on the former minister.
“Consequently, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with the said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that freezing the bank accounts and investments of Ms Dapaah is necessary to facilitate the ongoing investigation. Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has invoked his statutory power under Section 38(1) of Acts 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 by directing the freezing of the bank account and investments of Ms Dapaah effective 5 September 2023.
“Further, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with the said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that he has reasonable grounds to suspect that the cash amounts seized from and returned to Ms Dapaah is tinted property and it is necessary to exercise the power to seizure to prevent the concealment or loss of said cash amounts.
“Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has again invoked his statutory power under section 32(1)(a) of Act 959 by directing Ms. Dapaah of the cash amounts previously seized from her. Authorized officers of the OSP have seized said cash amounts from Ms Dapaah,” the statement said.
