The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng has disclosed significant developments in the ongoing investigation involving Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, and her spouse, Mr. Daniel Osei-Kufour.
The case, which began in July 2023, has taken a new turn, with suspicions of money laundering and structuring according to the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng.
In a press briefing held earlier today at the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Mr Kissi Agyebeng revealed that his office has uncovered large sums of cash being moved and stored, highlighting the potential risks of distorting economies.
He emphasized that while it is not inherently illegal to possess large sums of money, the legality of the source becomes a critical consideration. He further indicated that in cases where the source is questionable, investigative authorities intervene, especially when public officials are involved.
According to Mr Agyebeng, after seven months of in-country and four months of collaborative transboundary investigation, the evidence pointed towards suspected money laundering and structuring.
“The important consideration is that the holder of large cash sums should be able to account for same as to the lawfulness of the source. Therefore, where the source of the money is cast in some considerable doubt, then legal hurdles are raised and questions are posed. On this score, the antenna of investigative authorities swing into enquiring activity where public officials are detected to be keeping or moving large sums of money.
“This is because, in almost every jurisdiction, including Ghana, it is extremely unusual and highly suspicious for a public officer to have such large cash sums stashed in their homes – as it raises concerns of suspected inappropriate conduct. And such occurrences dictate pause and reflection”.
Kissi Agyebeng
In light of this, Mr Agyebeng announced the referral of the case to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), which has a specific mandate in cases of suspected money laundering.
According Mr Agyebeng, the Office will maintain close collaboration with Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and continue working with the FBI on the matter.
OSP Discontinues Application For The Confirmation Of Seizure
Moreover, the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng further revealed that the Office of the Special Prosecutor has discontinued its application for the confirmation of seizure and freezing orders, as well as the procedural criminal charge against Ms. Dapaah for failure to return forms on the declaration of property and income.
Mr Agyebeng further disclosed that the High Court has ordered the return of the seized cash sums and the unfreezing of the bank accounts and investments within seventy-two hours.
According to him, the case has now entered a new phase, making it necessary to place it in the hands of Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigation and action.
The investigation into Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour was initiated based on a complaint filed by the couple, alleging theft of significant amounts of money from their residence.
The complaint resulted in criminal proceedings against four individuals, however, as the investigation unfolded, suspicions arose regarding the source of the funds, leading the Special Prosecutor to direct a comprehensive investigation into corruption and corruption-related offences.
On July 24, 2023, Ms. Dapaah was arrested on charges of corruption and corruption-related offences. Subsequent searches conducted at three residential properties associated with Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour revealed cash sums totaling $590,000 and GH₵2,730,000. The couple was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the source of these funds.
As part of the investigative process, the Special Prosecutor issued a freezing order against the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah at Prudential Bank Limited and Societe Generale Ghana.
However, after the High Court initially refused to confirm the freezing and seizure orders, the Office re-seized the cash sums and reapplied to the court for confirmation.
Extensive investigations, involving twenty individuals and three state institutions, were conducted both in-country and, from October 2023, transnationally.
The case took a cross-border dimension as claims were made that part of the seized cash sums was transported from the United States to Ghana. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) became involved in collaboration with the Special Prosecutor’s Office.
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