Cecilia Dapaah case: Househelp, one other file for bail
The application for bail comes after the court had on many occasions rejected oral requests for bail from her lawyers.
Lawyers for Patience Botwe, the househelp at the center of the theft case at the home of the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah on Tuesday notified an Accra Circuit that they had officially applied for bail for their client.
The application for bail comes after the court had on many occasions rejected oral requests for bail from her lawyers.
This however was contested by the Prosecution - who filed an affidavit in opposition to the application.
Assistant State Attorney, Akosua Agyeman also requested a two-week adjournment, indicating that due to new directions from the AG's advice on the case docket, investigators needed more time to conclude the case.
The court presided over by Her Honour Afia Owusuaa Appiah therefore directed the Prosecution to file disclosures by the next hearing date on September 19.
Additionally, at Tuesday's hearing, the court rejected the bail application made by lawyers on behalf of Benjamin Sowah, the alleged boyfriend of Botwe, noting that based on his role in the alleged theft, together with the manner in which he was arrested in Tamale, “the court was not inclined to grant him bail at this stage of the case.”
OSP freezes Cecilia Dapaah's bank accounts again
Relatedly, on Tuesday, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) once again directed for the freezing and seizure of bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Dapaah, after complying with a High Court ruling asking it to return same.
The OSP who is currently investigating the former Minister for corruption and corruption-related offenses in a statement yesterday said it suspects the seized cash amount is tainted hence the decision to refreeze them.
“Consequently, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with 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 Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 by directing the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah effective 5 September 2023,” the statement said.
“Further, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with 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 tainted property and it is necessary to exercise the power of 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 the seizure from Ms. Dapaah of the cash amounts previously seized from her. Authorized officers of the OSP have seized the said cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah,” the statement said.
