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The Office of the Special Prosecutor has dropped two cases against former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, before a High Court in Accra.

The OSP has also abandoned a criminal trial initiated against the former sanitation minister for her alleged failure to declare assets.

These decisions follow a series of private hearings on the matter on January 25, 2024.

Portions of a statement from the OSP read:

By operation of law, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has a specific and direct mandate in respect of suspected cases of money laundering and its attendant activity of structuring. Consequently, the Office is referring the case to EOCO for continued investigation and further action. The Office will be in close collaboration with EOCO and continued collaboration with the FBI.

A little over an hour ago, the Office discontinued its application that was pending before the High Court for a confirmation of the seizure and freezing orders in pursuance of the referral of the case to EOCO. The Court ordered a return of the seized cash sums and unfreezing of the bank accounts and investments within seventy-two (72) hours.

The Office also discontinued the procedural criminal charge against Ms. Dapaah for failure to return forms on declaration of property and income.

Background

The OSP arrested Madam Dapaah on July 24, 2023, on suspicion of corruption and corruption-related offences after she and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffuor reported huge sums of money was stolen from their home by their two housemaids.

The two maids, Patience Botwe and Sara Agyei as well as fine (5) other accomplices are currently standing trial before an Accra Circuit Court for stealing $1 million and several millions of Ghana Cedis from the home of the former Minister.

She resigned from her position as a Minister of state on July 22, 2023, after several calls by the general public on her to step down after a revelation of the huge sums of monies – both in Ghana Cedis and other foreign currencies were reportedly stolen from her matrimonial home.

The Office has filed a repeat application for confirmation of seizure of $590,000 and GH₵2.73 million found in her home and the freezing of her seven bank accounts after an earlier one was dismissed by an Accra High Court for not complying with the rules.