OSP Charges Cecilia Dapaah For Not Declaring Assets

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged Cecilia Abena Dapaah, former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources for defying an order to declare her assets.

The OSP filed the charges at the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court on October 6.

The charge sheet of the OSP said she willfully failed to comply with the order of the OSP which was served on her on July 24, 2023 being a suspect under investigation for corruption and corruption related offences- including using public office for profit in respect of suspected tainted large cash sums reportedly stolen from your residential premises and other sums found by the OSP later at her residence.

The Office argues, “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 thirty (30) days of service on her of the notice.”

It however said the former Parliamentary representative for the Bantama constituency had not complied by October 5, 2023.

“As at the close of business on 5 October 2023, the Accused had willfully failed, without lawful excuse, to return the duly completed statutory forms to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, more than thirty (30) days after the service of the notice and forms on her.”

Her action, the OSP notes contravenes section 69(1) (a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).

Meanwhile, lawyers of the 68-year-old have filed an interlocutory injunction to restrain the OSP from carrying out investigations against her.