The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has made public its disagreement with an order from the Accra High Court ordering it [OSP] to return Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah’s seized money.
In a letter dated August 31, 2023, and signed by the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, the office of the special prosecutor expressed its displeasure with regard to the order of the court compelling it to return the seized money of the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.
The OSP said that though it respects the directive by the court, it disagrees with it because its computation of the time limitation is erroneous.
“While the OSP respects the Court’s decision, it disagrees with the decision of the Court. First, the OSP believes that the Court’s computation of the time limitation is, with respect, erroneous. The OSP searched three (3) private residences associated with Ms. Dapaah over the course of two (2) weeks. The searches and discoveries were ongoing during that period”. The statement noted
According to the OSP, “There is little doubt that the OSP filed its application within the statutory window once the search and discovery window is considered”.
The OSP elaborated further that its decision to freeze the account of the former minister was not based on public sentiment, as the high court judge suggested.
“The freezing order was not based on public sentiments. Rather, it was based on court processes filed in a criminal matter before the Circuit Court, Accra, involving Ms. Dapaah as the complainant.
Further, the freezing order was effected to aid the investigation, as required by law, not on the basis of the investigation, as indicated by the court. Therefore, it cannot be said that the OSP did not carry out proper investigations to warrant the freezing order. The investigation has only commenced, and it is ongoing” It added
It will be recalled that the OSP filed an application at the Accra High Court as part of an investigation into corruption and corruption-related offences against the former Minister and seized some cash found in her residence, with her bank account also frozen.
However, the Court has ordered the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to return the $590,000 and GH¢2.73 million seized from Cecilia Dapaah’s home to her within seven days.
The court has also reversed an order by the OSP to freeze the bank accounts of Dapaah at Societe Generale and Prudential Bank.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Gilbert Azeem Tiroog|Ghana
