The Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) has refuted accusations levelled against it by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) about reluctance to investigate former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.
While addressing the media at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa on Monday, the Executive Director of EOCO, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, disclosed that her outfit intended to return the docket concerning Madam Cecilia Dapaah to the OSP because there was nothing they could do.
READ ALSO: EOCO Has Already Returned Cecilia Dapaah’s Docket – OSP
This decision came after EOCO concluded that it would not initiate any move to investigate money laundering in Cecilia Dapaah’s dealings.
It was based on advice by the Office of the Attorney General to halt the investigation.
Contrary to EOCO’s claims of intending to return Madam Cecilia Dapaah’s docket, the Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the OSP, Samuel Appiah Darko, clarified that this action had already occurred.
He believes EOCO is not interested in investigating the matter and rather attempting to blame the OSP.
However, in a press release, EOCO vehemently disputed the OSP’s claims, characterising them as an “undue misrepresentation of facts”.
According to EOCO, the OSP failed to uphold its commitment to deliver a report to them after discussions with OSP officials.
The EOCO boss was of the view that the report would have facilitated a probe into the Cecilia Dapaah case.
“In view of the intense public interest generated by the instant matter and to correct the undue misrepresentation of facts, EOCO would like to set the records straight. Following receipt of the ‘referral’ by the OSP on 25th January 2024, EOCO by a letter dated 1st February 2024 signed by the Deputy Executive Director (Operations), Abdulai Bashiru Dapilah, requested the Special Prosecutor for ’a copy of the findings on the case to facilitate’ EOCO’s investigations.
“EOCO’s letter of 1st February 2024 was received at the Front Desk of the Office of the Special Prosecutor by a Field Desk Officer II, Solomon Tetteh, who duly signed for the letter at 9.52 a.m. on 2nd February 2024. The Deputy Executive-Director of EOCO, Bashiru Dapilah, followed up with the OSP and discussed with Mr. Emmanuel Basintale, the Director of Investigations of the OSP, the possibility of expediting the release of the report.
“This discussion was done in the presence of the Deputy Special Prosecutor Ms Cynthia Lamptey. Mr. Basintale assured that as soon as he received clearance from the SP the report would be released to EOCO to assist in investigations. To date, EOCO has not received any information from the OSP.”
EOCO clarified that, following the review of the docket presented by the OSP and the advice of the Attorney-General, it returned the original docket received from the OSP to the OSP on 3rd May 2024.
Read the full statement below;