The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in the investigation of Ghana’s former minister of Sanitation, Cecilia Dapaah over alleged corruption.
The joint prove borders on assets and financial transactions tied to Ms. Dapaah within the US.
This was revealed in a statement by the Special Prosecutor indicating that his outfit “and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) @USEmbassyGhana have initiated concurrent inquiries into the activities of Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, and her associates.”
The probe aims to unravel the legality surrounding the wealth amassed by Ms. Dapaah and her cohorts in Ghana and the United States.
“These investigations primarily focus on examining their assets and financial transactions within the United States of America,” the statement further read.
Earlier, the OSP had charged the embattled former Minister for failing to declare her assets.
According to the statement of offence filed at the High Court on Friday, October 6, the OSP said Cecilia Dapaah failed to respond to a notice to declare her property served on Monday, July 24, within 30 days as stated in the OSP Act.
The OSP says this is a contravention of the OSP Act and she must be punished for it.
“Cecilia Abena Dapaah, 68 years, August 25, 2023, in Accra in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana and within the jurisdiction of this Court, 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 also retrieved from same by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, without lawful excuse, failed, within 30 days, to comply with a notice to declare your property and income served on you by the Special Prosecutor on 24 July 2023 under regulation 20(1) per Forms 1A and 1B of the First Schedule of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374) as specified in regulation 20(2) and Form 21 of the First Schedule of the Ofice of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374).”
Meanwhile, lawyers for Cecilia Dapaah have also filed an injunction application against the OSP.
