OSP petitions Chief Justice to remove trial judge

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken action on Thursday, October 12, by submitting a petition to the Chief Justice to request the removal of Justice Edward Twum from the case involving Cecilia Dapaah.

In a Facebook post, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) clarified that their decision to petition the Chief Justice for the removal of Justice Edward Twum from Cecilia Dapaah's case is due to the perception that the judge might be biased or prejudiced against their institution.

In light of their concerns about potential bias, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has made a formal request to Gertrude Torkornoo, seeking the recusal or removal of Justice Edward Twum from all cases involving the OSP that are currently pending before him.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) also announced that it will not participate in court proceedings to prosecute the case in question until the judge is replaced.

“Consequently, as it stands, the OSP would not and cannot be reasonably expected to be parties to proceedings before the said judge,” the social media post said.

The legal team representing Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the former Sanitation Minister, has expressed disappointment with what they perceive as unethical behavior exhibited by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in her case.

Victoria Barth, the lawyer representing Madam Cecilia Dapaah, did not hold back and openly criticized the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for not providing any prior complaints regarding the judge's comments or behavior that would justify him recusing himself from the case.

Her comments highlight a significant point of contention in the legal proceedings, with the defense team arguing that there was no prior indication of a need for the judge's removal.

The anti-graft body, referring to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), is set to present an application in court seeking approval for its decision to confiscate approximately ¢2.8 million and $590,000 discovered at the residence of Cecilia Dapaah.

The application also aims to freeze her bank accounts on suspicion that these assets may be associated with illicit activities or "tainted properties."

Following an application by Cecilia Dapaah's legal team, the court approved a change in the hearing date for the confirmation of the decision to seize her assets. The date was moved up to Thursday, October 12, from the initial date of October 18.