Special Prosecutor charges Cecilia Dapaah for failing to declare her assets

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah for failing to declare her assets.

Court documents from the OSP revealed that the former minister failed to declare her income and property within 30 days after being notified by the office on October 5.

Madam Dapaah, who is currently in court over corruption and corruption-related offences, now has to answer to a fresh charge.

“The evidence will establish that on 24 July 2023, the Special Prosecutor, in the performance of his functions, served on the accused a notice to declare her property and income under regulation 20(1) per Forms 11A and 11B of the First Schedule of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374).

“The accused was duly notified as per the statutory forms and by a cover letter under the seal of the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the seal and mark of the Special Prosecutor, that she was required by law to make the specified declarations and return same to the Office of the Special Prosecutor as per Form 12 of the First Schedule of L.I. 2374, within 30 days of service on her of the notice.

“As at the close of business on 5 October 2023, the accused had wilfully failed, without lawful excuse, to return the duly completed statutory forms to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, more than 30 days after the service of the notice and forms on her,” court documents revealed.

Mrs. Dapaah’s court hurdles began when seven persons, including her house help, were hauled before the court for stealing $1 million,  €300,000, and other valuables from her residence.

The OSP subsequently filed a motion to freeze her bank account, and monies recovered after searching her residence.

Aside from the funds in her accounts, US$590,000 and over GH¢2.730,000 were also recovered from her residence on July 24.

The Accra High Court has yet to decide whether Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng can continue to hold Mrs Dapaah’s seized cash, which he has described as tainted.

Meanwhile, Madam Dapaah has also filed a suit at the Human Rights Court challenging the Special Prosecutor mandate to prosecute her.

In response to the OSP’s suit, Mrs Dapaah said the allegations were absurd and brought in utmost bad faith and brazen disregard of Act 959.