Ghana's Sanitation Minister Controversy Deepens: New evidence emerges

Introduction/ Background

Corruption, an insidious plague that undermines the very foundations of society, has long been a contentious issue on the global stage. It erodes trust in institutions, diverts resources away from essential public services, and perpetuates inequality. In a world where transparency and accountability are hailed as the pillars of good governance, the persistence of corruption remains a stain on the collective conscience of nations.

The revelation of a substantial amount of money found in the home of Ghana's Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, following the scandal involving her housemaid stealing millions of cedis and thousands of dollars, sent shockwaves across the internet and has left the nation both puzzled and angered.

This incident has exposed a festering wound of unethical misconduct, financial impropriety, and misguided actions that have cast a dark shadow over the integrity of public office. It has left many Ghanaians even more sceptical of our elected leaders, which poses a significant threat to our democracy. A functioning democracy relies on a certain level of trust from the general populace, and this incident threatens to erode that trust.

Previously, the former Minister made headlines in July due to alleged theft at her residence in Abelemkpe, Accra, involving her two-house helpers. The accused individuals, 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of theft in the Accra Circuit Court.

The saga which began with a burglary or possibly a series of burglaries at her residence, has turned into a full-blown scandal denting her reputation and integrity.

She was first arrested by the Office of the Special Prosecutor on July 24, 2023, over suspected corruption and subsequently, all her assets were frozen for further investigation to commence. The OSP then filed an application for the court to grant the seizure and freezing orders of Ms Dapaah’s assets but this was denied by the court on the grounds that the confirmation of seizure was filed out of time. Although the OSP disagreed, it still complied with the dictates of the court.

However, in a twist of events Mr Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, invoked his statutory power

under section 38(1) of Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.L. 2374 to freeze the accounts of Ms Dapaah again. 

Facts

In a recent document exhibited by OSP sighted by Ghanaviews, “criminal intelligence suggested that the first respondent had unexplained large cash sums of money (far above her income as a Minister of State) secreted and stashed up in her residence; and that her house-helps had allegedly helped themselves to part of said sums of money through larceny.”

“There are no financial records and traces of the origin(s) of the money reportedly stolen from the residence of the respondents and the money discovered by the OSP at said residence. Further, there is no evidence of the amounts of money having been derived from any legitimate businesses, profession or vocation, and no evidence of said amounts having been lawfully declared and subjected to any statutory payments.”

“During the search conducted in her presence, the first respondent disavowed and claimed no knowledge of the presence of the said cash sums in the residence. The conduct of the first respondent, being a public officer, heightened the suspicion of the authorised officers of the OSP that the cash sums were tainted property.”

The July 24, 2023 search at her Abelemkpe residence led to the discovery of cash sums of $590,000 and ¢2,862,007, the OSP told the court. However, further searches were conducted at her two other residential properties in Cantonments and Tesano.

"The monies were craftily concealed in wraps, polythene bags, clothes, 32 envelopes, and were buried and secreted in obscure places in the residence, some with labels and descriptions," the OSP said.

Furthermore, the OSP has alleged that two cosmetic businesses named Dermacare Cosmetics and Dermacare Enterprise which is owned by the embattled former sanitation minister are invested in two personalities. She said over ¢2.8 million of the monies found at her residence were proceeds of the sale of the two companies.

The OSP has also alleged that the bank account of the dead brother of Ms Dapaah has still been transferring money into her account and has revealed that the former minister sold a SSNIT Borteyman Estates Flat No. BT/OD/BLK2/2BR/1 under the name of Nana Yaa Ode.

Cecilia Dapaah, in statements to the OSP, has reduced the amount of money allegedly stolen by her house help last year. The initial report and court filing against the house help states that an amount of one million dollars, as well as thousands of euros and Ghana cedis, were stolen at her Abelemkpe residence.

In the OSP's documents exhibited in court, it has been revealed that the minister has reduced the figure by US$590,000, with the sum discovered at the same premises when the OSP conducted a search in her presence in July. The US$590,000, she said was part of the one million dollars which was stolen by her maids who are now standing trial for theft. The court hearing has been scheduled for October 18, 2023.

Political Viewpoint

The challenges faced by the embattled Minister have given the main opposition party, NDC a political advantage. Many stalwarts from the party have condemned her and have urged the OSP to follow the matter through until justice is served to the good people of Ghana.

Some members of the NPP, a party she also belongs to, have expressed their shock over the huge sums of money found at her residence. Others were also of the opinion that she should not have reported the burglary to the police at all to save her reputation. Some have also vouched for her innocence in spite of the many damning evidence and believe all allegations levelled against her will be dismissed by the court.

Opinion

Reports about the said robbery of such huge sums at the Minister's residence are deeply concerning as it has exposed the issue of financial secrecy and the failure of government officials to declare their assets.

The actions of the Minister are contrary to the principles of transparency and accountability that should be expected from public officials. This further flies in the face of the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia's campaign who has encouraged Ghanaians to use the banks for their financial dealings instead of hoarding such amounts at home. It also raises concerns about the source of the funds, potential conflicts of interest, and the disconnect between the actions of the government and its stated objectives.

Amid this disconcerting situation, it is imperative to commend the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for the swift response and for launching an investigation into the matter. The OSP's commitment to uncovering the truth is a crucial step towards exposing and prosecuting corruption, which is aimed at restoring public trust in governance institutions and ensuring accountability and probity.

Conclusion

Ghana deserves leaders who are committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability. This situation serves as a stark reminder that public officials must be held accountable for their actions. It also highlights the urgency for comprehensive ethical training with robust mechanisms for oversight within the government.

As the nation watches these developments unfold, it is a critical moment for Ghana to reaffirm its commitment to good governance, ethical leadership, and the principles that underpin the doctrines of the rule of law.