Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor of the Republic, has released the fifth Half Yearly Report under his tenure, as mandated by section 3(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
This comprehensive report highlights the investigations and prosecutions conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and developments in its operations from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024.
In the report, Mr. Agyebeng emphasized the OSP’s firm conviction that preventing corruption is more effective and cost-efficient than addressing it after the fact.
The OSP has, therefore, intensified activities within its corruption-prevention mandate. Novel initiatives and engagements with stakeholders have been introduced to bolster corruption awareness and education efforts, aiming to shift public perception and reduce corruption-related activities.
These efforts are designed to instill confidence in the anti-corruption drive by highlighting that corruption is a high-risk, low-reward endeavor.
During the first half of 2024, the OSP faced significant challenges as corrupt actors and their agents intensified their pushback against the Office and its principal officers.
The report notes that these attacks are seen as a testament to the OSP’s effective performance in disrupting corrupt interests. The Office remains steadfast in its commitment to combating corruption, remaining impartial to partisan affiliations and status.
Mr. Agyebeng also used the report to wish Ghanaians a successful and hopefully corruption-free general election in the second half of 2024.
This initiative aims to monitor and address election malpractices before, during, and after the elections, thereby upholding the integrity of the upcoming December 2024 elections.
The announcement was made in the OSP’s Half Yearly Report, released on July 11, 2024.
The report reveals the OSP’s commitment to maintaining the sanctity of the electoral process by preventing, controlling, and repressing corruption, fraud, and unfair practices.
The OSP has issued a stern warning to those involved in vote counting at polling stations, collation centers, and during the transmission of election results to act with utmost integrity.
The OSP’s authority for this initiative is derived from section 79 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), and sections 256 and 258 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). These legal provisions empower the OSP to tackle corruption and ensure a fair electoral process.
“No person is permitted to influence the outcome of the elections through corrupt means,” the report stated, emphasizing that acts of intimidation and impersonation are strictly illegal.
Additionally, the OSP cautioned against influencing voter conduct through threats of harm or by impersonating voters or electoral officers.
The public was reminded that individuals found guilty of such acts would face severe consequences, including a seven-year voting ban and disqualification from holding public office or being eligible for election as the President or a Member of Parliament.
Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie, the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Searchlight Newspaper and a 2024 independent parliamentary candidate, has filed a writ at the Supreme Court targeting the legality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The legal action, directed at Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, seeks to have the establishment and powers of the OSP declared unconstitutional.
Kuranchie’s writ challenges the OSP’s authority, particularly its powers to arrest, detain, freeze, and seize assets, labeling these capabilities as abusive. He is calling for the Supreme Court to rule the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 957) in violation of several articles of the 1992 Constitution.
Specifically, he cites Articles 11, 17. (1)(2) and (3), 88. (3) and (4), 289.(2) 290. (1) (f)) and 290. (2) to (4), 12. (2), and 107 (b).
Kuranchie’s primary argument is that the OSP’s prosecutorial powers should fall under the direct supervision of the Attorney General, akin to other investigative bodies such as the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Police, and the National Investigation Bureau (NIB).
The Special Prosecutor Act was enacted to create the OSP as a specialized agency tasked with investigating and prosecuting specific instances of corruption and related offenses involving public officers, politically exposed persons, and private sector individuals implicated in corruption.
The OSP operates under the authority of the Attorney General.
In a related development, former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu previously filed a petition seeking the removal of Kissi Agyebeng from his position.
This petition was dismissed by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo on July 5, who found it baseless and without merit.
Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has expressed doubts about the effectiveness and impartiality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), alleging that the government established it to shield its party members from corruption allegations.
In an interview with Citi FM on Tuesday, May 28, Ansa-Asare expressed reservations about the OSP’s effectiveness in combating corruption.
He suggested that the institution might be serving the interests of the ruling party rather than upholding its mandate to impartially address corruption in Ghana.
“I could objectively judge the contributions of the Office of the Special Prosecutor if we had a person like Martin Amidu [former OSP] as the Special Prosecutor. But the person we have now is one of the appointees who might have been brought there for a purpose.”
“So far, what I can say of the Office of the Special Prosecutor seems to me was created purposely to exonerate NPP offenders,” he said.
Inaugurated in 2018, the OSP was conceived as an independent anti-corruption body in Ghana, aligned with the principles of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
Its core mission is to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and related offenses in both the public and private sectors.
Beyond its prosecutorial duties, the OSP is also responsible for recovering proceeds derived from corrupt activities. This includes seizing illicitly obtained wealth and implementing preventive measures to curb future instances of corruption.
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has expressed his loss of faith in the principles of the esteemed legal luminary and former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu.
He stated that he once believed Mr. Amidu to be a very principled man until his recent petition to President Akufo-Addo, seeking the removal of Kissi Agyebeng as Special Prosecutor.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on May 23, he said, “The Martin Amidu I know, until this thing was done, I trusted that he was a very principled person. My faith in his being principled is badly shaken.”
This comment follows a petition, dated April 30, 2024, which Mr. Amidu sent to President Akufo-Addo and was subsequently forwarded to Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo on May 6, 2024.
In his petition, Mr. Amidu alleged procurement breaches in the purchase of vehicles for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and abuses involving judges and the administration of justice.
He also cited violations of citizens’ rights through arrests and detentions, violations of the right to information, and improper appointments of personnel to the office.
According to the National Chairman of the NDC, the motive behind Mr. Amidu’s petition remains unclear to him.
He expressed surprise that Mr. Amidu, who once referred to President Akufo-Addo as the “Mother serpent of corruption,” would petition him to address perceived corrupt acts.
The NDC Chairman stated that Mr. Amidu’s decision to petition the President has weakened his credibility and undermined his previous efforts to fight corruption.
“He shouldn’t have done that at all. I am still trying to understand why. Comrade Martin, have you abandoned your view that Nana Akufo-Addo is the mother serpent of corruption? Or you still hold that view? If you still hold that view, when you came to a roadblock that I want to do this thing against finance minister and the president said no way, you resigned and came to open up.
“If your successor has come to a similar road block and the president is demanding his resignation, won’t you show solidarity? But you are rather making yourself the tool for the president to be able to achieve his objective of fighting those who are fighting corruption.”
Mr. Asiedu Nketia stated that he cannot support either Amidu or the Special Prosecutor until ongoing investigations are completed and more information is made available.
Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP)has published a report stemming from a joint investigation with the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) regarding the Government’s Payroll Administration.
This release comes amidst a recent petition for the impeachment of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
According to the OSP, the investigation yielded the identification and removal of undeserving individuals from the government’s payroll, leading to the blocking of salaries.
This action resulted in significant savings for the country, amounting to over GH¢34.2 million for the 2024 financial year alone.
The report, which is part of Phase 1 of the collaborative investigation, specifically targeted unwarranted salaries within the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Service in the Northern Region.
“Out of the sampled high-risk number of 1,265 individuals on the payroll, the joint investigation and assessment cleared 1,020 individuals as regularly validated.
The Special Prosecutor promptly unfroze the blocked salaries of the verified individuals upon timely clearance by the joint team, and they have been restored to the payroll system.
“A total amount of Two Million Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four Thousand One Hundred and Forty-Four cedis Eighty pesewas (GH¢2,854,144.80) was identified as unearned monthly salaries being paid to deceased, retired, vacated, missing, or unknown individuals (referred to as ‘Ghost Names’) from their respective effective dates to January 2024, when it was blocked by the Special Prosecutor,” excerpts from the report read.
It further stated, “The blocking of the amount of Two Million Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four Thousand One Hundred and Forty-Four cedis Eighty pesewas (GH¢2,854,144.80) and the removal from the Government Payroll of the corresponding deceased, retired, post vacators, the missing, and those whose whereabouts are unknown has saved the Republic an amount of Thirty-Four Million Two Hundred and Forty-Nine Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty-Seven cedis Six pesewas (GH¢34,249,737.6) for the 2024 financial year, with potential future savings for every year the unearned salaries would have gone undetected.”
The report further states that theOSP and CAGD are actively pursuing legal action against individuals responsible for fraudulent activities, including promoting individuals to non-existent schools and validating payments to deceased, untraceable, retired, and vacant positions.
Efforts are underway to recover unearned salaries that were erroneously disbursed to individuals who are deceased, untraceable, retired, or no longer in their positions.
President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, emphasized the need to initiate the anti-corruption campaign from the highest office, citing the Presidency as the breeding ground for corrupt practices.
During an interview on The Big Issue on Citi FM, he proposed alternative strategies to combat corruption, criticizing the efficacy of the Office of the Special Prosecutor in Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts.
Cudjoe highlighted several instances of corruption within the Presidential sphere, asserting that addressing corruption at this level is crucial for effectively addressing the issue.
“Charity begins at home, and so fighting corruption should start at the Presidency because that is where all the crooked things are cooked. Look at the Scholarship Secretariat scandal; is it not from there?
This Ministry of Special Initiatives, was it not harboured at the Presidency, which led to all these dams that were constructed like dugouts and wasted money all over the place. Just take a cursory look at that office.
“So, even creating the Office of the Special Prosecutor was like battling after the facts were established, and people with deep pockets will fight you because they have made enough money to fight you through.
We atIMANI saythat fighting corruption and waste begins at the Presidency.”
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has expressed concerns about potential disruptions to the operations of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) following a petition seeking the removal of Kissi Agyebeng from office.
The petition, submitted by former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu, urges President Akufo-Addo to remove Agyebeng, citing various infractions as grounds for his removal.
During an interview on Eyewitness News on May 17, Mr. Kpebu highlighted that the mere initiation of the removal process, coupled with its public announcement, casts a shadow over the OSP.
He emphasized that this situation creates an unwelcome distraction for the institution, especially at a critical juncture.
Nevertheless, Mr. Kpebu stressed the importance of allowing the democratic process and legal procedures to take their due course.
“The petition will have an impact because it is going to disrupt the OSP but we just hope that he will be strong and keep the fight going. But you can’t run away from the fact that even the announcement of this alone will cause him some embarrassment for it is quite a big disruption,” he stated.
Martin Kpebu, reflecting on the concerns outlined by Martin Amidu in his petition to the president, suggested that issues like non-compliance with a Right to Information (RTI) request, as cited, are not usually grounds for the removal of an officeholder.
Instead, Kpebu proposed addressing such concerns by escalating the matter to the RTI Commission and, if warranted, pursuing legal recourse.
Additionally, Kpebu drew comparisons with the police force, where instances of rights violations, such as unlawful arrests, are typically addressed through lawsuits seeking compensation rather than advocating for the removal of police officials.
“On the face of it, these are not matters ordinarily you should say somebody be removed. So let’s say, Mr Amidu asked for some information through the RTI request and he says Kissi Agyebeng didn’t give him.
But if you do an RTI request and the office holder doesn’t give you escalate it. You go to theRTI Commission and then if the commission makes a ruling in your case and the institution doesn’t comply, then you go to court.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) maintains that it provided the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) with all the necessary information to initiate an investigation into former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.
This statement comes in response to EOCO‘s claim that the OSP did not collaborate effectively, which hindered a smooth investigation process.
However, the Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the OSP, Samuel Appiah Darko, has refuted EOCO’s assertion, stating that EOCO cannot blame the OSP for their failure to investigate Cecilia Dapaah.
During an interview on Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda on Citi FM, Mr. Darko clarified that every piece of information required by EOCO was provided by the OSP.
“We had a standing committee. Every information that we had and we needed to give to EOCO, the OSP gave to EOCO. And the standing committee that has been working between OSP and EOCO, there are unofficial communications between OSP and EOCO.
“What I am trying to tell you is that EOCO said they want the findings of our work on corruption but you don’t need that because everything has already been kept in the file.”
Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Samuel Appiah Darko, has called out the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for what he believes is a deliberate attempt not to investigate former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah, accused of corruption-related activities.
During her address to the media at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa on Monday, Executive Director of EOCO, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, revealed that her organization plans to return the docket against Mrs Cecilia Dapaah to the OSP as there is nothing further they can do with it.
“If you read the A-G’s advice, whatever that we would have done had already been directed at the police CID. And like he said this morning, when you investigate a case and you do not find anything, we should be bold enough to come and tell the public that for this case, even though I suspected this at the day, that wasn’t what came out; we should be bold to tell Ghanaians.”
Samuel Appiah Darko revealed that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has already returned the docket concerning former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.
Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) Samuel Appiah Darko
In an interview on Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM, Mr. Darko refuted allegations that the docket forwarded to EOCO was without merit, asserting that EOCO’s actions demonstrate a lack of interest in investigating the matter and an attempt to shift blame onto the OSP.
“Let me start with what EOCO said yesterday [Monday, May 6] that they were going to return the docket to the OSP, that is not accurate. They have long returned the docket to us with an explanation that they have been advised by the AG [Attorney General] not to investigate but remember, we did not say to prosecute, [to] investigate and so I don’t understand why EOCO will say they are now going to return the docket to OSP.”
He noted that should EOCO be unwilling to investigate the matter, it should make that known to the public instead of pointing fingers at the OSP.
“The second point I want to make is this whole idea that the docket that the OSP sent to EOCO was baseless and if you will indulge me, I am going to be a bit detailed, although we are not supposed to do this but our point is that if there is no appetite to want to investigate and prosecute, tell the people of Ghana that there is no appetite but don’t try to put the blame on the OSP.”
During her address to the media at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa on Monday, Executive Director of EOCO, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, revealed that her organization plans to return the docket as there is nothing further they can do with it.
“If you read the A-G’s advice, whatever that we would have done had already been directed at the police CID. And like he said this morning, when you investigate a case and you do not find anything, we should be bold enough to come and tell the public that for this case, even though I suspected this at the day, that wasn’t what came out; we should be bold to tell Ghanaians.”
Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Samuel Appiah Darko, has revealed that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has already returned the docket concerning former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.
In an interview on Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM, Mr. Darko clarified that EOCO’s statements suggesting that they intend to return the docket are false, as the return has already taken place.
“Let me start with what EOCO said yesterday [Monday, May 6] that they were going to return the docket to the OSP, that is not accurate. They have long returned the docket to us with an explanation that they have been advised by the AG [Attorney General] not to investigate but remember, we did not say to prosecute, [to] investigate and so I don’t understand why EOCO will say they are now going to return the docket to OSP.”
Mr. Darko also refuted allegations that the docket forwarded to EOCO was without merit, asserting that EOCO’s actions demonstrate a lack of interest in investigating the matter and an attempt to shift blame onto the OSP.
“The second point I want to make is this whole idea that the docket that the OSP sent to EOCO was baseless and if you will indulge me, I am going to be a bit detailed, although we are not supposed to do this but our point is that if there is no appetite to want to investigate and prosecute, tell the people of Ghana that there is no appetite but don’t try to put the blame on the OSP.”
During her address to the media at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa on Monday, Executive Director of EOCO, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, revealed that her organization plans to return the docket as there is nothing further they can do with it.
“If you read the A-G’s advice, whatever that we would have done had already been directed at the police CID. And like he said this morning, when you investigate a case and you do not find anything, we should be bold enough to come and tell the public that for this case, even though I suspected this at the day, that wasn’t what came out; we should be bold to tell Ghanaians.”
National Communications Officer of theNational Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi,has voiced dissatisfaction with Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng regarding the handling of the case involving former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
Gyamfi criticised the decision to transfer the case to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for investigation, arguing that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) should have conducted its own inquiry into the money laundering allegations against Cecilia Dapaah.
In an interview with TV3, Gyamfi questioned the OSP’s choice not to include their findings in the docket presented to EOCO, describing it as a “missing link” in the investigation.
“He was whining and lamenting too much. You are a creation of law, exercise your powers and you are here singing ‘ankonam’.”
“Kissi Agyebeng announced that a search was being conducted but he couldn’t make the findings public. In referring Cecilia Dapaah to EOCO, he should have at least added the findings that he made through that search. He even told us he collaborated with the FBI, What were his findings? That is a missing link,” he stated.
Sammy Gyamfi accused the government of attempting to cover up the truth and avoid a thorough investigation into the allegations against Cecilia Dapaah.
“There is a grand conspiracy by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia NPP government to cover up the truths and real facts of this Cecilia Dapaah case. This should be obvious to any objective bystander.”
“This government led by the President himself has acted in ways that show they are not interested in an investigation at all and you see, if they think that they are helping Madam Cecilia Dapaah in doing so, then they’re mistaken,” the communication officer stated.
In a letter dated Thursday, April 25, addressed to EOCO, Attorney General (A.G.) Godfred Yeboah Dame stated that there is no justification for EOCO to investigate Cecilia Dapaah.
The A.G. highlighted that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) neglected to include their findings from the FBI in the docket submitted to EOCO, following their investigation into the financial transactions involving the former minister.
Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, has announced that her office will be returning the dossier it received from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) concerning the investigation into former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, for money laundering.
Addressing the media at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa, Tiwa Addo-Danquah explained that EOCO could not proceed with the investigation as there was insufficient evidence to pursue.
She expressed concerns that continuing the investigation would amount to a futile effort, suggesting that her office would be engaging in a fruitless pursuit.
Furthermore, Tiwa Addo-Danquah emphasized the importance of state institutions being transparent and forthright with the public, particularly when their investigations yield no substantial findings.
“If you read the Attorney-General’s advice, whatever we would have done has already been directed at the Police CID. And as he (the Attorney General) said this morning, when you investigate a case and do not find anything, we should be bold enough to come and tell the public that for this case, even though I suspected this at the outset, that wasn’t what came out; we should be bold with the Ghanaian.
“So, we cannot continue to fish when you don’t even know what you are looking for. You just go about looking for something that you know you are not even sure of,” she is quoted to have said.
The EOCO boss added, “So, what I am going to do is that, with the Attorney-General’s advice, I will send the docket that we received from the OSP back to him, confirming that there is nothing in it.”
The OSP closed its case against the former minister and her husband, who were accused of corruption and corruption-related offences after two of their housekeepers allegedly stole $1 million and €300,000 in cash, along with other valuable items from their residence in Abelemkpe.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, concluded that his office lacked the authority to prosecute or take further action against the former minister and referred the case to EOCO. The referral was based on the suspicion that the large sums of money found at Cecilia Dapaah’s residence and bank accounts could be the proceeds of a money laundering and structuring scheme.
The Attorney General, Godfred Dame, in advice to the EOCO boss on how to proceed with Cecilia Dapaah’s case, said, “The OSP’s referral to EOCO for investigations to be conducted into money laundering is without basis.”
He also said that there was no evidence of corruption or procurement breaches against the former minister and her husband, Daniel Osei Kufuor.
“A study of the docket from theOSP and the report by youroffice indicates that: a. investigations by the OSP did not establish any evidence of corruption, corruption-related offences, or procurement breaches against the suspects; b.
the OSP has returned money and other properties retrieved from the suspects in the course of their investigations to them, and the suspects have been accordingly discharged by the OSP,” parts of a letter Dame wrote to Tiwa Addo-Danquah, which was sighted reads.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has announced its intention to return the docket concerning former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
This decision comes after the Office of the Attorney General advised against initiating money laundering investigations into Cecilia Dapaah. The Attorney General’s office cited the OSP’s failure to establish evidence of corruption or corruption-related offences as the reason for its advice.
Speaking at the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa, Executive Director of EOCO, Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo-Danquah, reiterated that there was nothing her office could do in the absence of evidence supporting such investigations.
“If you read the A-G’s advice, whatever that we would have done had already been directed at the police CID. And like he said this morning, when you investigate a case and you do not find anything, we should be bold enough to come and tell the public that for this case, even though I suspected this at the day, that wasn’t what came out; we should be bold the Ghanaian.
“So, we cannot continue to be fishing like you don’t even know what you are looking for. You just go about looking for something that you know that you are not even sure.
“So, what I am going to do is that with the A-G’s advice, I will send the docket that we received from the OSP to him that there is nothing in it,” she stated.
On May 1, the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice advised against conducting money laundering investigations into the activities of former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).
The Attorney General’s office determined that the request made by the Special Prosecutor’s office to EOCO to initiate money laundering investigations into Cecilia Dapaah’s affairs lacked a valid basis.
The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has expressed disappointment with Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng over the handling of the case involving former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
Mr. Gyamfi criticized the decision to refer the case to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for investigation, stating that the OSP should have conducted its probe into the money laundering allegations against Cecilia Dapaah.
In an interview with TV3, Mr. Gyamfi questioned the OSP’s decision not to include their report findings with the FBI in the docket presented to EOCO, calling it a “missing link” in the investigation.
“Kissi Agyebeng announced that a search was being conducted but he couldn’t make the findings public. In referring Cecilia Dapaah to EOCO he should have at least added the findings that he made through that search. He even told us he collaborated with the FBI, what were his findings? That is a missing link,” he stated.
Sammy Gyamfi accused the government of attempting to cover up the truth and avoid a thorough investigation into the allegations against Cecilia Dapaah.
“There is a grand conspiracy by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia NPP government to cover up the truths and real facts of this Cecilia Dapaah case. This should be obvious to any objective bystander,”
“This government led by the President himself has acted in ways that show they are not interested in an investigation at all and you see if they think that they are helping Madam Cecilia Dapaah in doing so, then they’re mistaken,” the communication officer stated.
The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, stated in a letter addressed to EOCO dated Thursday, April 25, that there is no basis for EOCO to investigate Cecilia Dapaah.
According to the AG, the OSP failed to attach their report findings with the FBI to the docket presented to EOCO after probing into the financial transactions of the former minister.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has refuted claims that it cleared former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, before transferring her case to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).
The OSP investigated Mrs Dapaah for alleged corruption and corruption-related offences after reports emerged that their domestic staff stole millions of local and foreign currencies, along with other personal effects belonging to the former minister and her husband.
After months of investigation, the OSP closed its case and handed it over to EOCO, citing that the offence largely fell within the realm of money laundering.
The OSP stated that it may reopen the case if further evidence supporting corruption investigations is uncovered.
However, EOCO sent the OSP’s transferred docket to the Attorney General’s office for advice on whether to conduct investigations. The AG’s Office advised EOCO to halt investigations, stating that the file lacked an investigative report and additional documentation to support a money laundering prosecution.
The AG also mentioned that the police are investigating the source of funding by Cecilia Dapaah, suggesting that there was no need for EOCO to continue with the case.
In a separate statement, the Attorney General’s office accused the OSP of failing to provide EOCO with sufficient information regarding its collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for further investigations.
In an interview with Joy News, the Director for Strategy, Research, and Communications at the OSP, Mr. Samuel Appiah Darko, clarified that his office did not clear Cecilia Dapaah of corruption-related offences.
He explained that the OSP closed its investigation after determining that the offence was largely related to money laundering.
Mr. Darko also noted that Dapaah could not reasonably explain all the seized monies from her home, as her explanations were found to be untrue after investigations.
He maintained that EOCO did not request the FBI investigation report, despite joint representatives from the two agencies working on the file transfer.
“We want to make it very clear that EOCO did not request for the FBI report. Even if they did, the FBI report has a lot of confidentiality clauses that were directed particularly to the OSP and you can’t just give it to another agency because you have transferred the case. There ought to be a lot of inter-agency collaboration and clearance. So if it had happened, we may have triggered the clearance clauses so that either we are cleared by FBI or FBI sends the report directly to EOCO.”
He stated that the OSP referred the case to EOCO, providing all relevant documentation, including caution statements from over 20 suspects in America, Accra, and Kumasi.
Additionally, other information, such as relatives of Madam Dapaah claiming the seized monies and some jewelry in her house were family heirlooms, was also provided. These documents were intended to assist EOCO in conducting its own independent investigation into the financial transactions involved.
“The OSP should be considered as a whistleblower to EOCO. So as a whistle-blower, we gave EOCO platinum information. Ordinarily, you will not even find other agencies giving such information to EOCO,” Mr. Darko noted in the interview.
The OSP’s Director for Strategy, Research, and Communications gave further reasons on why his outfit referred the case to EOCO instead of proceeding with the alleged money laundering probe.
“Our referral is not just in respect of a transaction in America. Also, we were not conducting money laundering investigation, we were conducting corruption investigation. We are of the opinion that, we had all it takes to send that referral to EOCO because there was no way we could have proceeded and then investigated and write a report on money laundering and send it to EOCO for onward transfer to the Attorney General. We only referred a matter to EOCO as whistle-blowers for EOCO to investigate…We cannot instruct EOCO on what they should do,” he added.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has launched an investigation into allegations of corruption related to the recent Ejisu by-election, focusing on the Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, Professor Kingsley Nyarko, and some Election Commission (EC) temporary staff.
Reports from sources close to the investigation indicate that the OSP has arrested and interrogated several individuals connected to the case.
The probe centers on an incident captured by Adom News cameras, where Professor Kingsley Nyarko was seen handing an envelope to two EC officials at the Church of Pentecost Polling Station in Fumesua during the by-election.
Following the incident, the EC suspended the two officials, Ballot Issuer and Presiding Officer Regina Serwaa and George Sasu, pending criminal investigations into their conduct.
Despite Professor Nyarko’s assertion that the money was given in good faith and not intended as a bribe or to influence the officials, there have been calls for his prosecution. Election Watch Ghana, a civil society organization, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate Dr. Kingsley Nyarko.
However, governance expert Prof. Baffour Agyeman Duah has dismissed these calls for prosecution, suggesting that there may have been no criminal intent behind Professor Nyarko’s actions.
“Frankly, this is much I do about nothing because the response we are getting already tells you where this is going to go.
“Unless the Electoral Commission has direct rules against politicians and others giving lunch to people, I don’t know what they can do about this,” he explained.
Former Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini, has criticized the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for not conducting a corruption risk assessment into the SML/GRA contract.
Mr Fuseini believes that the OSP should have promptly released a report on the matter immediately after The Fourth Estate documentary was aired.
He suggests that there are indications of corruption and conflicts of interest in the deal, which the OSP should investigate. He also added that there was a clear intention to hide the contract from the public.
In an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile program on Saturday, April 27, Mr Fuseini emphasized that Ghanaians will not tolerate any misuse of the state purse.
“It’s very obvious that there was a clear intention to keep the contract out of the public view and so this is where I support the civil society that such a matter must have an open, transparent, rigorous and meritocratic evaluation of the contract and the outcomes the matters.
“Immediately the report came out, the OSP should have conducted a corruption risk assessment and released a report by now,” he said.
KPMG, a reputable auditing firm, has completed and submitted its report on the contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) to President Akufo-Addo.
The audit, initiated by the President on January 2, 2024, following an exposé by the Fourth Estate, was originally scheduled to be completed by January 16, 2024. However, the deadline was extended to February 23, 2024, due to certain circumstances.
According to the audit findings, SML has received a total of GH¢1,061,054,778 since 2018 while only partially fulfilling its obligations under the contract.
However, SML has challenged this finding, asserting that the report as a whole justifies the contract.
Adjei now faces eight additional counts related to using his public office for personal profit and exerting indirect influence on procurement processes to gain an unfair advantage in contract awards.
These charges were presented by the Special Prosecutor at the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra on April 17.
These new charges supplement the previous seventeen counts Adjei was facing, which included accusations of establishing Talent Discovery Limited (TDL) as a front to unlawfully secure public contracts.
The new charges specifically include eight counts of using public office for personal gain and nine counts of influencing procurement processes, directly and indirectly, to secure an unfair advantage in contract awards.
In addition, Adjei’s brother-in-law, Francis Kwaku Arhin, who was alleged to be the CEO of TDL and holds a minority stake, faces one count of using public office for profit.
Adjenim Boateng Adjei served as the CEO of PPA from March 2017 to August 2019.
He was relieved of his duties by President Akufo-Addo following a recommendation from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), prompted by his involvement in a documentary titled “Contract for Sale.”
The OSP stated that the Secretariat is among the institutions under active investigation for corruption and related activities.
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor commenced investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences at the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat circa July 2023. The investigation is active and ongoing,” the OSP said.
These comments were contained in a press statement addressing a complaint titled “Report of Suspected Corruption and Corruption-Related Offences in the award of Scholarships by the Registrar of Ghana Scholarship Secretariat– Kingsley Oppong Agyeman.”
The Scholarship Secretariat has been in the spotlight recently after a Fourth Estate investigation revealed that scholarships were sometimes awarded to individuals from financially stable backgrounds.
Among those identified were the daughters of Ghanaian lawyer and politician Freddie Blay and a former Inspector General of Police.
Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, the Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat
This practice contradicts the Secretariat’s mandate of awarding scholarships to needy but academically gifted students. The investigation also uncovered instances where “influential” individuals were granted double scholarships.
Concerned about how much taxpayers’ monies has been spent, Deputy National Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Osman Ayariga, has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate Dr. Kingsley Agyemang following the recent scandal involving the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat he heads.
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has issued a two-day ultimatum to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to release the salaries of some teachers by Friday or face their wrath.
The Association claimed that the OSP had withheld the salaries of over 400 teachers.
The OSP stated that they are investigating ghost names on the government’s payroll, which is their justification for withholding the salaries.
However, NAGRAT President Angel Karbonu argued that this is not sufficient justification for withholding their salaries.
“When you’re auditing somebody, until the audit is completed and you have conclusively arrived indicating that A, B and C are not qualified to earn a salary, you don’t go ahead to inflict purgery.”
Speaking on NewsNite on Wednesday, NAGRAT President Angel Karbonu warned that the association would be forced to resort to other measures if the Office of the Special Prosecutor fails to release the withheld salaries by Friday, February 16, 2024.
“He [Special Prosecutor] has not finished prosecuting people who have been given bribes in elections and things like that, it is not poor teachers that he is coming to zero in on,” he said.
“If he does not defreeze the salaries by Friday, he will have to be blamed for whatever happens after Friday.”
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), in collaboration with the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and its partners, convened a media awareness workshop focused on “Electoral Corruption Offences and Sanctions” on February 7, 2024, at the Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra.
The workshop drew the participation of 64 attendees, primarily media personnel, alongside representatives from key public institutions including the OSP and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Led by Samuel Appiah Darko, Director for Strategy, Research, and Communication at the OSP, the presentation zeroed in on electoral corruption offenses falling within the OSP’s jurisdiction. Appiah Darko meticulously delineated the range of offenses that the OSP is mandated to investigate, emphasizing the distinction between these and other cases outside the OSP’s purview.
Highlighting the four-fold mandate of the OSP, Appiah Darko underscored the office’s commitment to preventing and investigating corruption, conducting thorough prosecutions, and facilitating the recovery of ill-gotten gains from corrupt practices. He emphasized the importance of clarity in understanding the OSP’s scope of work, noting that while any wrongdoing by politicians may be perceived as corruption by the public, the OSP is specifically tasked with addressing defined instances of corruption.
Furthermore, Appiah Darko stressed the role of the media in dispelling misconceptions about the OSP’s efficacy, urging journalists to play a proactive role in educating the public. He emphasized the need to prevent the perception that the OSP has failed or is not functioning effectively.
The workshop served as a platform for robust discussions and knowledge-sharing among participants, fostering a deeper understanding of electoral corruption and the role of relevant institutions in combating it. As Ghana prepares for upcoming elections, such initiatives underscore the importance of collaborative efforts in ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in the electoral process.
The Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, has asserted that she faces no political pressure in conducting investigations and prosecutions.
Her statement follows the referral of a suspected money laundering case involving former Water and Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah to EOCO by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Despite the OSP’s decision to drop charges against Dapaah due to a lack of credible evidence, COP Addo-Danquah emphasized that her office would only act when there is concrete evidence of wrongdoing.
Speaking at an anti-corruption forum, she highlighted the importance of adhering to the law and explained that her actions are guided by evidence rather than external influences.
“Sometimes when I hear people say I am handling a case and I have powers from above directing me, fortunately for me I have not had that because you are guided by the law.
“Nobody will direct you when you have evidence. It is when you don’t have evidence, when you haven’t been able to put evidence together then someone can tell you not to do this.
“But if you have done your work in such a way that you have evidence, very solid evidence, you just have to explain to the person that these are my evidence, these are A, B and C and they are solid and I am presenting it to the court.
“Nobody can stop you but we hide behind powers from above and we are put back and we disappoint the citizens but they have given you the mandate to do the job,” she explained.
The case involved the seizure of significant sums of money from Dapaah’s home, leading to charges related to failing to declare assets.
The OSP dropped these charges after a meeting with the judge and defense lawyers, with sources indicating a court deadline for unfreezing accounts and returning seized funds to Dapaah.
The background of the case involved Dapaah’s arrest in 2023 on suspicion of corruption and the subsequent resignation from her ministerial position amid public pressure.
Today, Tuesday, February 6, 2024, Parliament is set to convene its initial session of the fourth term, with a total of 82 Bills anticipated for presentation, according to an official statement released on February 5, 2024.
Among the bills to be deliberated upon are the Aged Persons Bill, 2023; Advertising Council Bill, 2023; Consumer Protection Bill, 2023; Public University Bill, and the 2023 Ghana Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Additionally, the House will address twelve (12) bills currently under committee review, including the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Bill, 2023 (Committee on Gender and Children) and the Social Protection Bill, 2023 (Committee on Gender and Children).
Private member’s bills, namely the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Amendment) Bill, 2021, and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2023, will also be addressed before the House enters recess in preparation for the upcoming general elections.
He suggested that the recent development is just the beginning, and more disappointments may follow.
Dr. Apaak responded to the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) decision to abandon the application confirming the freezing of Cecilia Dapaah’s money and bank accounts, as well as dropping a criminal trial for failure to declare assets.
The OSP stated that after seven months of investigation, the matter involves money laundering, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) is tasked with handling it.
Despite public disappointment in the OSP’s handling of the case, Dr. Apaak hinted that Cecilia Dapaah could be cleared and exonerated now that EOCO has taken over.
He referred to President Akufo-Addo’s earlier expression of confidence in her exoneration following her resignation amid allegations of stolen cash from her residence.
Dr. Apaak argued that the president’s statement was part of an orchestrated attempt to clear her name.
“Those disappointed with the way the OSP has handled the Cecilia Dapaah matter should get ready for further disappointment now that the matter has been transferred to EOCO.
The Special Prosecutor has withdrawn the application to officially validate the seizure and freezing of funds and bank accounts belonging to Cecilia Dapaah, a former Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources.
Additionally, the office has abandoned a criminal trial initiated against the former sanitation minister for her alleged failure to declare assets.
These decisions follow a series of private hearings on the matter. For several months, the Special Prosecutor has held Cecilia Dapaah’s funds, seized during a search of her residence as part of an ongoing investigation.
The office had also imposed freezes on certain bank accounts linked to Cecilia Dapaah, citing allegations of corruption and corruption-related activities.
Good morning members of the media. I warmly welcome you again to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
One of the contemporary legal problems that confront us is the movement and the stashing of large sums of cash – with its attendant likelihood of distorting economies. Ordinarily, it is not unlawful for a person to move or keep large cash sums as long as the money was lawfully acquired. Afterall, it is the person’s money and as owner, that person may choose to do what pleases that person with that person’s money.
The important consideration is that the holder of large cash sums should be able to account for same as to the lawfulness of the source. Therefore, where the source of the money is cast in some considerable doubt, then legal hurdles are raised and questions are posed.
On this score, the antenna of investigative authorities swing into enquiring activity where public officials are detected to be keeping or moving large sums of money. This is because, in almost every jurisdiction, including Ghana, it is extremely unusual and highly suspicious for a public officer to have such large cash sums stashed in their homes – as it raises concerns of suspected inappropriate conduct. And such occurrences dictate pause and reflection.
It is in this context that the Office of the Special Prosecutor commenced investigation in July 2023 in respect of suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding large amounts of money (mainly in foreign denominations) and other valuable items involving Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources and her spouse, Mr Daniel Osei-Kufour.
The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by Ms Dapaah and Mr Osei-Kufour to the police against certain individuals on an allegation of the theft of large sums of money from the residence of the complainants. Ms. Dapaah was the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources at the time. The complaint precipitated criminal proceedings in the Circuit Court, Accra against four (4) persons on various counts of theft in Court Case No. D4/155/2023 The Republic v. Patience Botwe & Three Ors.
The charges recounted that between July and October 2022 the accused persons allegedly stole valuable items from the residence of Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour at Abelemkpe, Accra – including cash amounts of One Million United States dollars (US$1,000,000.00) and Three Hundred Thousand euros (€300,000.00).
The initial complaint to the police recounted that Eight Hundred Thousand United States dollars (US$800,000.00) of the amount reportedly stolen from the residence belonged to Ms. Dapaah’s deceased brother and Three Hundred Thousand cedis(GHS 300,000.00) was contribution towards Ms. Dapaah’s mother’s funeral which was contained in a box. There was no indication as to the source of the remainder of Two Hundred Thousand United States dollars US$200,000.00) and Three Hundred Thousand euros (€300,000.00).
On the basis of Case No. D4/155/2023 The Republic v. Patience Botwe & Three Ors. and the totality of the criminal intelligence gathered by the Office and that large sums of money were physically stashed at the residences of Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour, the Special Prosecutor directed full investigation into corruption and corruption-related offences involving the respondent (in accordance with regulation 6 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374)) as the circumstances reasonably indicated to the Office that the source of the cash sums stated as belonging to Ms. Dapaah (a public officer at the time) on the charge sheet in D4/155/2023 The Republic v. Patience Botwe & Three Ors. was suspicious and that the cash sums were suspected tainted property as being proceeds from corruption and corruption-related offences.
On 24 July 2023, the Office placed Ms. Dapaah under arrest on charges of corruption and corruption-related offences. The Office subsequently conducted searches in three (3) residential properties associated with Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour at Cantonments, Abelemkpe and Tesano in Accra. The searches, which were carried out over a period of two (2) weeks, led to the discovery of the cash sums of Five Hundred and Ninety Thousand United States dollars (US$590,000.00) and Two Million Seven Hundred and Thirty Thousand cedis (GHS2,730,000.00).
Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufuor could not readily provide a reasonable explanation as to the sources of the cash sums. Authorized officers of the Office seized the discovered cash sums on reasonable grounds that they were suspected of tainted property in accordance with section 32(1) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) as it was necessary to exercise the power of seizure to prevent concealment of the cash sums.
The Special Prosecutor, considering it necessary to facilitate the investigations, issued a freezing order against the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah domiciled at Prudential Bank Limited and Societe Generale Ghana.
Upon the refusal by the High Court to confirm the freezing and seizure orders in August 2023, the Office re-seized the cash sums and re-froze the bank accounts and investments and applied to the court again for confirmation in FT0074/2023 The Special Prosecutor v. Cecilia Abena Dapaah & Daniel Osei-Kufour.
Extensive investigation was conducted in-country involving twenty (20) persons and three (3) state institutions, and especially in the Ashanti Region to establish the financial standing of Ms. Dapaah’s deceased brother during his lifetime and at the time of his death.
From October 2023, the investigation became cross-border and transboundary upon the claim by the persons of interest that part of the seized cash sums was transported to Ghana from the United States. For that reason, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States became involved in a collaborative investigative work with the Office on the matter.
The investigation has been aimed at determining the source(s) of the large cash sums associated with Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufuor. The Office has had the benefit of seven (7) months of in-country and four (4) months of collaborative transboundary investigation. On the totality of the gathered evidence and intelligence, it seems to us that the case is largely in the province of suspected money laundering and structuring.
By operation of law, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has a specific and direct mandate in respect of suspected cases of money laundering and its attendant activity of structuring. Consequently, the Office is referring the case to EOCO for continued investigation and further action. The Office will be in close collaboration with EOCO and continued collaboration with the FBI.
A little over an hour ago, the Office discontinued its application that was pending before the High Court for a confirmation of the seizure and freezing orders in pursuance of the referral of the case to EOCO. The Court ordered a return of the seized cash sums and unfreezing of the bank accounts and investments within seventy-two (72) hours.
The Office also discontinued the procedural criminal charge against Ms. Dapaah for failure to return forms on declaration of property and income.
An Accra High Court has mandated the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to return seized funds to former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, within 72 hours.
This directive comes as a result of an application by the OSP to confirm freezing and seizure orders related to bank accounts and assets at Dapaah’s residence.
During a press conference on Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, revealed that the OSP has discontinued its application for the confirmation of seizure and freezing orders.
Instead, the case will be handed over to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigation. Mr Agyebeng emphasized that his probe has uncovered evidence pointing towards a suspected case of money laundering, a matter more appropriately handled by EOCO.
“A little over an hour ago, the Office discontinued its application that was pending before the High Court for confirmation of the seizure and freezing orders in pursuance of the referral of the case to EOCO. The court ordered that the office should return the cash sums and defreeze the accounts of an investment of Mrs. Dapaah within 72 hours,” Agyebeng stated.
The SP highlighted the cross-border nature of the investigation, which led to the involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from the United States back in October 2023. The collaborative efforts sought to unravel the legality surrounding the wealth amassed by Cecilia Dapaah and her associates, spanning both Ghana and the United States.
Speaking on the matter, Agyebeng expressed the intent to maintain close collaboration with EOCO and continue working with the FBI as the case progresses.
Background:
The saga surrounding Cecilia Dapaah initially surfaced during the trial of two house helps, Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei, accused of stealing significant sums and items from the minister’s residence. The alleged thefts, which occurred between July and October 2022, involved personal effects valued at GH¢95,000 and US$95,000, among other items.
Following the arrest of the house helps, the case took a complex turn, implicating additional individuals, including one of the accused’s current and former boyfriends and her father, on charges of dishonestly receiving stolen money. The accused individuals were arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court in July 2023, and the case garnered public attention with calls for thorough investigations into the source of the funds.
As the legal landscape surrounding Cecilia Dapaah’s case continues to evolve, Ghanaians await further developments from EOCO and the potential reexamination of the source of the funds that sparked this high-profile investigation.
The court’s decision came after the OSP submitted an application to validate the freezing and seizure orders related to the former Minister’s bank accounts and assets at her residence.
In a press briefing, the Special Prosecutor announced that the ongoing case will be taken over and pursued by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
“A little over an hour ago, the Office discontinued its application that was pending before the High Court for confirmation of the seizure and freezing orders in pursuance of the referral of the case to EOCO. The court order that the office should return the cash sums and defreeze the accounts of an investment of Mrs. Dapaah within 72 hours,” Kissi Agyebeng said.
Mr. Agyebeng clarified that his investigation thus far indicates a potential case of money laundering.
On that score, EOCO is better placed to handle affairs with respect to “suspected cases of money laundering and its attendant activity of structuring.”
In October 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) partnered with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in a coordinated effort to thoroughly investigate former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour. This joint initiative aimed to scrutinize the legality of the wealth accumulated by Ms. Dapaah and her associates, spanning across both Ghana and the United States.
During a statement on Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Special Prosecutor affirmed that his office would maintain a close working relationship with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and continue its collaboration with the FBI regarding the ongoing investigation.
Background
Two house helps who were employed by Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, are facing charges for allegedly stealing money and items worth millions of cedis from the couple’s residence in Abelemkpe, Accra.
The primary 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 stealing. The alleged thefts occurred between July and October 2022.
During this period, the house helps allegedly stole personal belongings of Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry worth US$95,000. Ms. Botwe is also accused of stealing six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belong to the minister’s husband.
Additionally, three other individuals, identified as Ms. Botwe’s current and former boyfriends and her father, are facing charges for allegedly being involved in the crime. They have been respectively charged with dishonestly receiving GH¢1 million, GH¢180,000, and GH¢50,000.
The stolen items and money were reported to the police in June 2023, leading to the arrest of Ms. Botwe, who was caught entering the couple’s room with a duplicate key. Further investigations revealed that Patience, with the help of her alleged accomplice Sarah, had hidden the stolen money and used it to purchase properties and expensive items.
The accused individuals were arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court on July 20, 2023, and while bail was granted to Sarah Agyei, Patience Botwe, along with her alleged boyfriends and father, were remanded into lawful custody.
The Special Prosecutor announced an investigation into the matter, starting with the arrest of Madam Cecilia Dapaah.
Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyebeng, has officially referred the case involving former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigations into suspected money laundering.
This decision comes in the wake of revelations that a significant portion of the substantial amounts of cash found at Dapaah’s residence, along with funds in her bank accounts, may have been repatriated from abroad.
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, disclosed at a press conference held on Thursday, January 25, 2024, that the investigation took a cross-border turn when individuals of interest claimed that part of the seized cash was transported to the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) subsequently joined forces with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to delve into the matter.
Member of Parliament for Buem, Kofi Adams, expressed discontent with the decision of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to transfer the case involving former Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah to other agencies.
Mr Adams noted that the public has more confidence in the OSP than other investigative bodies. Speaking on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, January 20, he shared his discomfort with the decision.
“I am not too comfortable that he will be passing this on to another body. There appears to be more confidence in his office than the other agencies, ” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, January 20.
“The investigation shows that the case is largely in the province of suspected money laundering and structuring. By operation of law, there are other law enforcement agencies which are reposed with a direct mandate in respect of money laundering and structuring. On that score, the Special Prosecutor will issue directives and further action on the matter in due course,” portions of the second half-year report of the OSP dated December 29, 2023 read.
The OSP cited money laundering as a significant aspect of the case, prompting its decision to involve other law enforcement agencies with a direct mandate in this regard.
In the second half-year report dated December 29, 2023, the OSP indicated that directives and further actions on the Cecilia Dapaah case would be issued in due course.
The investigation, initiated in July 2023, focused on suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses involving large sums of money and valuable items linked to Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her spouse, Daniel Osei-Kufour.
Despite several steps taken by the OSP, including freezing bank accounts and seizing assets, the High Court’s refusal to confirm orders led to re-seizure and re-freezing of assets.
The investigation became cross-border in October 2023, involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in collaborative efforts with the OSP.
The Special Prosecutor, in October 2023, revoked freezing orders for certain bank accounts that were no longer considered tainted property.
Renowned private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, has underscored the significant impact of the discourse surrounding the Office of the Special Prosecutor‘s (OSP) involvement in the Cecilia Dapaah matter on Ghana’s democracy.
Mr. Kpebu emphasized that even if the state fails to secure convictions in the case, the extensive discussions it has generated will contribute to strengthening Ghana’s democracy, particularly in shaping the conduct of public officers.
The comments from Mr. Kpebu follow the recent discontinuance of the Cecilia Dapaah case by the OSP, citing that it falls outside the office’s mandate.
During an interview on Ghana Tonight on TV3 with Alfred Ocansey on January 17, 2024, Mr. Kpebu expressed the belief that the fallout from the case has served as a valuable admonishment for Ghanaian society.
He stated: “I know some people who said they knew it, I wont call them naysayers, it’s always good that we have people who have their doubts. They also serve a very critical function in our society. But we can’t say that yet. Let’s not forget the number of interviews we’ve conducted on this case both on Ghana Tonight, KeyPoints etc.”
Addressing skepticism about the outcome of the OSP’s probe, Mr. Kpebu acknowledged the doubters but stressed the critical function they play in society. He highlighted the educational aspect of the case, stating that it provided an opportunity to admonish and conscientize the public on the proper conduct expected of public officials.
“We’ve used it to admonish ourselves –abnosom. This is how not to be in public office, this is how not to conduct yourself in public office. There is huge value in it. It serves our democracy that we were talking, we were conscientizing ourselves and etc. Even if at the end of the day we don’t end up with a conviction, still, it would have served a very useful purpose. This is a case to which we’ve seen hard evidence which we can point to that people can relate. So we can use it to strengthen our governance system even without getting a conviction in court,” he explained.
The Cecilia Dapaah case, despite its discontinuance, has become a focal point for discussions on governance, accountability, and the role of institutions in upholding democratic values. As the nation reflects on the implications of this case, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to foster transparency and integrity in public service.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has released its second half-year report for 2023, revealing ongoing investigations into more than 150 cases related to corruption and corrupt practices nationwide.
One of the notable cases being investigated is the controversial contract between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), focusing on possible procurement violations and alleged corruption or corruption-related activities.
The investigation was initiated in response to a complaint filed by The Fourth Estate, represented by three journalists.
Additionally, the OSP is addressing issues related to ghost names on the government payroll, aiming to identify and rectify non-existent names while reclaiming wrongly disbursed payments.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has initiated an investigation into the controversial contract between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The focus of the probe is on potential breaches of procurement processes and allegations of corruption and corruption-related activities.
This investigative move follows a complaint filed on December 18, 2023, by The Fourth Estate, represented by journalists Evans Aziamor-Mensah, Adwoa Adobea-Owusu, and Manasseh Azure Awuni. The details of the investigation were outlined in the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s half-yearly report released on December 29, 2023.
“The Office has commenced a preliminary investigation into contractual arrangements between Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (a company registered in Ghana) and Ghana Revenue Authority for the stated objective of the enhancement of revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, upstream petroleum production, and minerals and metals resources value chain.”
“The preliminary investigation is based on a complaint filed on 18 December 2023 by The Fourth Estate (a project of Media Foundation for West Africa) represented by three (3) journalists – Evans Aziamor-Mensah, Adwoa Adobea-Owusu, and Manasseh Azure Awuni. The complaint alleged possible corruption, including breaches of the Public Procurement Act, in respect of the contractual arrangements,” the OSP added.
In a December 2023 investigative report, The Fourth Estate implicated Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Ministry of Finance in a contentious contract.
The report alleged that GRA had granted SML a purported 10-year contract with an annual payment of $100 million, raising concerns about possible irregularities. SML refuted this claim, asserting that it had a five-year contract instead.
The GRA, in a statement on December 20, 2023, maintained that proper procurement procedures were followed. On January 3, 2024, SML welcomed President Akufo-Addo’s directive to suspend its ongoing revenue assurance operations and undergo an audit of its contract with the GRA and the Ministry of Finance.
President Akufo-Addo appointed KPMG, an audit, tax, and advisory services firm, to conduct an immediate audit. SML expressed confidence that the audit would provide a clear and accurate depiction of its operations.
Meanwhile, the Minerals Commission has stated that it did not play any role in the award of the contract to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) for revenue assurance services in the gold production sector.
The CEO of the Minerals Commission, Martin Kwaku Ayisi, responded to a Right to Information (RTI) request, stating that the commission had no involvement in awarding the contract to SML.
The government’s drive to eliminate ghost names from the payroll system could receive a boost with the intervention of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
As outlined in the OSP’s half-year report unveiled on December 29, 2023, their assessment and investigation are targeted at eradicating fictitious names and recovering payments made in error.
“The Office has commenced corruption risk assessment and investigation into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of the Government of Ghana payroll administration.
“The assessment and investigation are especially aimed at isolating and removing non-existent names, recovering wrongful payments, and the prosecution of persons suspected to be culpable for any offence(s).”
The collaboration between the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department signals a concerted effort to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the issue of ghost names and erroneous payments on the government payroll.
The OSP emphasized that the scope of this investigation extends to include all banks and employees enlisted on the government payroll.
By partnering with the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, which plays a pivotal role in managing public finances, the OSP aims to ensure a thorough and systematic assessment.
joint project team of selected staff of the two institutions has been formed for the purpose,” OSP stated in its report.
“The exercise is being carried out in two phases. Phase I covers the Ghana Education Service and the health institutions. Phase II covers all other Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.”
In addition to its focus on the issue of ghost names and erroneous payments in the government payroll, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is concurrently investigating 152 other cases at various stages of examination.
“These would be publicised if the Special Prosecutor determines that they are within the mandate of the Office and that they should be moved past the preliminary investigation stage.”
“This is a policy intended to protect the privacy of individuals and the business operations of institutions and companies, and to avoid unnecessary stigmatisation.”
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has reported that Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Kwame Andy Appiah-Kubi, displayed hostility towards investigators probing his allegation of bribery involving a wealthy Ghanaian businessman.
In its first half-year report for 2023, the OSP noted Mr. Appiah-Kubi’s uncooperative behavior during the interview, where he claimed the businessman tried to bribe NPP MPs to influence their stance on Mr. Ofori-Atta’s resignation.
Despite stating he would fully cooperate, Mr. Appiah-Kubi refused to disclose crucial information, including the identities of MPs present, the businessman’s identity, the amount offered, and other details.
The OSP in its report said “Mr. Appiah-Kubi refused to disclose the identities of the Members of Parliament present at the meeting with the undisclosed businessman. He refused to disclose the identity of the wealthy businessman. He refused to disclose the amount of money offered by the undisclosed businessman. He refused to answer all other questions posed to him. He showed open hostility to the authorised officers of the Office and he was unyielding in his resolve not to cooperate with the investigation. Indeed, he flatly refused to cooperate with the Office, though he had stated that he would fully cooperate with the investigation, and though he declared to the media subsequent to the Office’s interview that he fully cooperated with the Office.”
The Special Prosecutor (SP) directed the closure of investigations, citing that pursuing criminal proceedings at this time would serve no useful purpose. The SP, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, clarified that the investigation might be reopened if circumstances warrant.
“…the Special Prosecutor directs the closure of the investigation in respect of allegations that a well-known and wealthy businessman attempted to bribe a section of the majority caucus of Parliament. The Special Prosecutor determines that the institution of criminal proceedings, at this time, against the OSP’s identified suspect would serve no useful purpose,” a report dated December 28 sighted by 3News.com indicated.
The SP stated that, “The investigation may be re-opened should the circumstances and further facts so dictate.”
“This report is founded on regulation 31(1)(g) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374), which mandates the OSP to publish detected acts of corruption through the receipt, collection, or collation of reports, documents, materials, complaints, allegations, information and intelligence,” he wrote.
In response, Mr. Appiah-Kubi revealed he had promised not to disclose the businessman’s identity, emphasizing his intention to send a message that lawmakers couldn’t be bought.
He criticized the OSP officials for their alleged unethical and hostile approach during the investigation in Parliament, highlighting their lack of professional courtesy. Appiah-Kubi emphasized the need for respect and courtesy in the investigative process.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has initiated an inquiry into the government’s payroll system, as disclosed in its half-year report released on December 29, 2023.
The OSP’s focus is on identifying and rectifying non-existent entries while recovering improper payments. The agency has issued a warning that individuals suspected of any wrongdoing will face prosecution.
According to the OSP’s report, a corruption risk assessment and investigation have been launched concerning potential corruption and corruption-related offenses related to the Government of Ghana’s payroll administration.
The primary objectives include isolating and eliminating non-existent entries, recovering erroneous payments, and prosecuting those believed to be involved in any offenses.
Emphasizing collaboration, the OSP has teamed up with the Controller and Accountant General’s Department for the investigation, forming a joint project team comprising selected staff from both institutions.
The comprehensive investigation spans all banks and government payroll employees, divided into two phases. Phase I focuses on the Ghana Education Service and health institutions, while Phase II encompasses all other Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
Additionally, the OSP has disclosed an ongoing investigation into 152 other cases at different stages of consideration. The agency asserts that it will publicize these cases if they fall within its mandate and progress beyond the preliminary investigation stage. This policy is implemented to safeguard individual privacy, protect business operations of institutions and companies, and prevent unwarranted stigmatization.
Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has issued the half-year report for the year 2023 in compliance with the laws governing the office.
The 20-page report, dated December 29, 2023, provides updates on various cases under investigation or prosecution.
One of the cases highlighted in the report is the Cecilia Dapaah scandal. The Special Prosecutor is currently investigating Cecilia Dapaah, a former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, and her spouse, Mr. Daniel Osei-Kufour, for suspected corruption and corruption-related offences.
The investigation is focused on significant amounts of money, mainly in foreign denominations, and other valuable items discovered in their apartment.
According to the latest report, the Special Prosecutor indicated that the investigations primarily revolve around suspected money laundering and structuring
“By operation of law, there are other law enforcement agencies that are reposed with a direct mandate in respect of money laundering and structuring. On that score, the Special Prosecutor will issue directives and further action on the matter in due course,” the OSP added.
Background
The Office started its probe in July 2023 after news broke that domestic helpers of Cecilia Dapaah had stolen millions of dollars in cash involving local and foreign currencies.
While the domestic helpers were undergoing investigation and prosecution, the OSP started probing Cecilia Dapaah and her husband, Mr. Daniel Osei-Kufour, in a bid to unravel the source of the money.
After searching their Abelenkpe residence, the OSP later froze a number of the former minister’s bank accounts.
“The investigation has been largely aimed at determining the source(s) of the large cash sums. The office took several steps, including freezing Ms. Dapaah’s bank accounts and investments and seizing large sums from the residence of Ms. Dapaah and her spouse. Upon the refusal by the High Court to confirm the freezing and seizure orders, the Office re-seized the cash sums, re-froze the bank accounts and investments and applied to the court again for confirmation in FT0074/2023, The Special Prosecutor v. Cecilia Abena Dapaah & Daniel Osei-Kufour.”
“From October 2023, the investigation became cross-border and transboundary upon the claim by the persons of interest that part of the seized cash sums was transported into the jurisdiction from the United States. For that reason, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States became involved in collaborative investigative work with the OSP on the matter.”
In October 2023, the Special Prosecutor revoked the freezing order in respect of five (5) bank accounts of Ms. Dapaah, which were eliminated from the focus of the investigation as no longer suspected to be tainted property.
Former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah’s plea to halt the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) from persisting in freezing her accounts and confiscating recovered cash from her Abelemkpe residence has been postponed to February 1, 2024.
The OSP froze Dapaah’s Prudential Bank and Société Générale bank accounts after a substantial amount of money was discovered during a search at her home.
On August 31, 2023, the High Court in Accra instructed the OSP to return the $590,000 and GH¢2.73 million seized from Cecilia Dapaah’s home within seven days.
In response, the OSP disagreed with the court’s decision and asked the Human Rights Court to allow the continued freezing of the former minister’s properties and cash.
On October 9, 2023, Cecilia Dapaah, in an application, sought an expedited resolution of the freeze and seizure case.
The OSP announced on its Facebook page that the case has been adjourned to February 1.
“The Human Rights Court sitting in Accra has adjourned to February 1, 2024, the case in which former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffuor, have filed an interlocutory injunction application against the OSP to restrain the Office from continuing to freeze Madam Dapaah’s accounts and seize cash recovered from their residence.”
Background
Madam Dapaah, the former Sanitation Minister, gained widespread attention in July 2023 when the Chronicle Newspaper reported that her domestic helpers were taken to court for allegedly stealing $1 million, 300,000 euros, several million cedis, and personal belongings of the former minister and her husband, valued at thousands of Ghana Cedis and dollars.
Following public outcry, Cecilia Dapaah resigned from her position and was subsequently arrested by the OSP, later being granted bail.
On Monday, July 24, 2023, officials from the Office of the Special Prosecutor conducted a search at the former Minister of Sanitation’s residence.
The OSP reported discovering US$590,000 and GHC2.730,000 in cash at her apartment. Immediate action was taken by the Office of the Special Prosecutor to seize these substantial cash sums as crucial evidence for the ongoing investigation.
Former secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue’s judicial review application, aimed at quashing an arrest warrant obtained by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) against him, has been unsuccessful.
This information was revealed by the OSP in a social media post on January 16, 2025.
“On Monday, 15 January 2024, Charles Bissue’s lawyer was unsuccessful in seeking the court to rescind its decision to have him cross-examined,” the post read.
Mr Bissue was declared wanted for failing to respond to an invitation to appear and answer questions in an investigation into suspected corruption within the dissolved IMCIM.
Mr Bissue’s lawyers sought to stop the court’s directive for him to be cross-examined, arguing that the arrest warrant was obtained based on malice. Despite their efforts, the judicial review application was unsuccessful.
Charles Bissue turned himself in and was subsequently arrested after being declared wanted by the OSP. The Human Rights Court had earlier imposed a GH¢500 fine on him for what it deemed his failure to take a decision on his case seeking to stop the OSP from investigating and prosecuting him.
At the last adjourned date, the court granted the OSP permission to cross-examine Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah. This decision was made in response to an affidavit submitted by Mr. Awuah, claiming that the Office had obtained a warrant for Bissue’s arrest.
As per the court’s directive, Bissue’s lawyer was also supposed to submit his written submissions for the case. However, he failed to do so, citing a torn ligament as the reason and requested additional time.
Meanwhile, the court has adjourned the case to February 1, allowing Bissue’s lawyers time to file his written submissions on the matter.
The Accra High Court has postponed the hearing of the case involving former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah to Thursday, January 25, 2024.
The case revolves around the reported failure of the former Minister to declare her income and property to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Furthermore, the court has also deferred the consideration of the OSP’s application to confirm freezing and seizure orders related to Cecilia Dapaah’s bank accounts and assets at her residence to January 25.
On October 10, 2023, Madam Dapaah’s legal team filed an injunction application against the OSP. According to court documents, the lawyers argued that without a restraint order, the former Minister would suffer irreparable damage due to the actions of the OSP.
“This Court is enjoined to balance the economic right of the affected persons against the State’s power to fight corruption. It is the Applicants’ considered view that they would suffer irreparable harm if the Respondent is not restrained pending the final determination of the substantive matter.”
The application filed by Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffuor, is currently under consideration by the Human Rights Court in Accra. The case is aimed at restraining the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) from further freezing Madam Dapaah’s accounts and seizing cash recovered from their residence.
The court has adjourned the hearing of this case to February 1, 2024. The delay provides additional time for both parties to present their arguments and evidence before the court makes a decision on the matter.
Background
Two house helps who were employed by Cecilia Abena Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, are facing charges for allegedly stealing money and items worth millions of cedis from the couple’s residence in Abelemkpe, Accra.
The main accused individuals, 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, are charged with conspiracy to commit crime and five counts of stealing. The alleged thefts occurred between July and October 2022.
During this period, the house helps reportedly stole personal effects belonging to Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry worth US$95,000. Additionally, Ms. Botwe is accused of stealing six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belong to the minister’s husband.
Three other individuals, identified as Ms. Botwe’s current and former boyfriends and her father, are also facing charges for allegedly being involved in the crime. They have been respectively charged with dishonestly receiving GH¢1 million, GH¢180,000, and GH¢50,000.
The stolen money and items, taken from the couple’s bedroom in their residence, prompted the complainants to report the theft case to the police in June 2023. Ms. Botwe was allegedly caught entering the couple’s room with a duplicate key, leading to her arrest.
Bail was granted to Sarah Agyei in the sum of GH¢1 million with two sureties, while Ms. Botwe, along with her alleged boyfriends and father, has been remanded into lawful custody.
The Special Prosecutor’s office has announced an investigation into the matter, starting with the arrest of Madam Cecilia Dapaah.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has unveiled government’s New Policy to eradicate ‘ghost’ names from public sector payroll.
Speaking at the unveiling of the National Mechanised Payroll Database by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department in Accra, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia announced a new policy aimed at cleansing the government’s payroll of ‘ghost names.’ The initiative requires all government workers to link their Ghana Card details to the payroll system.
“This linkage between the NIA database and the government payroll will significantly contribute to eliminating the incidence of ghost names on the government of Ghana’s mechanised payroll system, which has persisted for some time,” Dr Bawumia stated.
Meanwhile, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng in November 2023 hinted that his outfit, Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) will conduct an investigation and corruption risk analysis into the government’s payroll, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), state lands, stool lands and other state properties.
The move, according to the OSP is to isolate and remove non-existent names, recovering wrongful payments, and prosecuting persons suspected to be culpable for any offence (s).
“The Controller and Accountant General’s Department is collaborating with the OSP on the investigation and assessment. A joint project team of selected staff from the two institutions has been formed. The investigation and assessment will cover all banks and employees on the government payroll.”
He added, “The exercise will be carried out in two phases. Phase I will cover the Ghana Education Service and health institutions. Phase II will cover all other Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies,” he said.
Constituency Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, has accused Member of Parliament Kwame Anyimadu Antwi of being the mastermind behind the arrest of the CEO of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP) by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The allegations suggest a political intrigue within the party, raising questions about the motives and potential implications for the accused NEIP CEO. Read on for further details on this developing story.
During an interview on Citi News on January 10, 2024, Amakye claimed that Anyimadu Antwi had conveyed to his assistant his intention to report Nkansah to the Special Prosecutor. The accusation suggested that the NEIP CEO had allegedly distributed money to delegates in anticipation of the upcoming NPP parliamentary primaries.
“The MP reported Kofi Ofosu because he told my assistant, Debrah Philip, that he was going to report Kofi Ofosu to the Special Prosecutor and that is what he has done.
“I am the constituency secretary and we know all the delegates and when they meet too, we know everything and it includes our family members and it is an open thing and he gave it (money) to every delegate and the delegates are around 623 and everybody knows it and so I don’t know why MP is pushing this thing to that end.
“My wife is a delegate and she collected GH¢300 from the MP. Kofi shared it (money)with all delegates and that is what the MP also did and it is a Christmas package,” he added.
In response, Anyimadu Antwi has refuted the allegations, stating that he was unaware of Nkansah’s arrest.
He accused Amakye of bias and disseminating misinformation, pointing to previous claims made on social media by the constituency secretary regarding financial payments to delegates.
“I have no clue about what the secretary is alleging and it is about time for us to do the elections and the primaries are still around the corner and this is not a do-or-die affair.
“The secretary has taken sides with one of the contenders and has been speaking passionately and there is pain in the constituency speaking to delegates.
“If you are talking about reporting anybody to the OSP, I have no idea, but he [Felix Amakye] is on record saying that my preferred candidate has been paying GH¢500,000 and promised to pay GHS1 million to people and he said these things on Facebook,” citinewsroom.com quoted him to have said.
Meanwhile, Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, the CEO of NEIP and a candidate for the Asante Akim Central parliamentary seat, has been released after being arrested by the Special Prosecutor.
Civil Society Organisation, OccupyGhana, is contemplating the utilization of constitutional provisions to insist that Asante-Akim North MP, Andy Appiah-Kubi, discloses the identity of the businessman accused of attempting bribery within the majority caucus.
This development comes in the wake of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) declaring its incapacity to investigate the reported incident involving a businessman attempting to bribe Majority MPs to discourage them from pursuing the impeachment of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to OccupyGhana, it was awaiting legal advice to confirm if it could demand that the identity of the businessman be made public for the OSP to revive its investigations into the matter.
“But we are not done yet. We have instructed our lawyers to advise whether we and Ghanaians have the constitutional right to information, to the name of the businessman, which the OSP inexplicably redacted from the report.
“If we receive advice that we are entitled to that information, we will commence the relevant proceedings under the Right to Information Act to compel the OSP to reveal the name,” the group said.
This was contained in a press release dated January 5, 2024.
The Civil society, juxtaposing corruption with fungi, said it thrives in darkness and shadow which takes advantage of secrecy.
They add that the only way to eliminate it is to expose it to sunlight, where it can be effectively addressed.
“The corruption fungus abhors and cannot stand sunlight, and we will do all in our civil power to direct the power of light unto this matter. It just might produce the further evidence that the OSP requires to revive the dead,” the release read.
OccupyGhana said it has observed that many of these allegations have been unaddressed. However, this time, it is determined to get to the roots of the matter.
Read the full statement below;
OccupyGhana has read with much disappointment, the report of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (‘OSP’) on the above, dated 28 December 2023. The OSP’s investigation was triggered by our 3 November 2022 petition to that office to investigate the alleged, attempted bribery of the majority caucus of Parliament by an unnamed businessman. This was after both Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP and Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, MP, Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, had taken turns to make these allegations.
That is why we find shocking the claim by the otherwise respectable Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, MP that the only bases of his allegations, were rumours and Appiah-Kubi, MP’s allegations. We find it difficult to believe that with all the resources at his disposal, the Majority Leader and Minister would trot out and repeat allegations that he now say he did not verified either beforehand or after-the-fact.
Then there is the reported hostility by Appiah-Kubi, MP towards officers of the OSP and his flat-out refusal to cooperate with the investigation. What is even more shocking is the report that both Appiah-Kubi, MP (the accuser) and the unnamed businessman (the accused) apparently engaged in a ‘rehearsed and well-choreographed… joint and similar denial’ of the attempted bribery event.
The result is that the OSP could not obtain any prosecution-worthy evidence on yet another allegation of corruption involving Parliament, an institution which has been plagued by and dogged with several corruption allegations over the years. Although there have been no charges or prosecutions, the repeated allegations that MPs engage in various acts of corruption is not one that Ghanaians can ignore. Some derisorily, and maybe with some justification, refer to our Parliament as ‘Ghana’s leading transactional centre.’
From time to time, some MPs end up confessing that these shenanigans happen. While examples are legion, there has been one assured result – investigations lead to nothing. For example, in 2014, Alban Bagbin (then MP and now Speaker of the House) was reported to have admitted that ‘there is evidence that some MPs take bribes and come to the floor and try to articulate the views of their sponsors.’ As expected, a reported parliamentary inquiry led to nothing. In 2017, some minority MPs on the Appointments Committee, led by Mahama Ayariga, MP, reported an attempt to bribed them to approve a ministerial nominee. Another reported parliamentary enquiry led to nothing, as expected.
This time, two senior sitting MPs took turns to announce on radio that an unnamed rich businessman attempted to bribe a section of Parliament’s majority caucus. These MPs are considered as heavy-weight leaders in our politics, and the least expected of them are dignity and the courage to stand by their convictions, if they have any. They ought to be good examples for the rest of us and our children. Yet, their behaviour renders them unfit to be leaders. One would have expected them to resign in good conscience, but alas, we are stuck with such mediocrity.
As the OSP indicated in the report, the case is all but dead for lack of serious evidence to prosecute; but these ‘Honourable MPs’ (a phrase that is now generally accepted and understood as an oxymoron) will continue to occupy their seats and offices, and earn their salaries and even ex gratia, not caring about the damage they are causing to this country.
But we are not done yet. We have instructed our lawyers to advise whether we and Ghanaians have the constitutional right to information, to the name of the businessman, which the OSP inexplicably redacted from the report. If we receive advice that we are entitled to that information, we will commence the relevant proceedings under the Right to Information Act to compel the OSP to reveal the name.
Corruption, like fungi, thrives in darkness and shadows, taking advantage of secrecy, self-imposed redactions, unjustified self-censorship and lack of accountability. The corruption fungus abhors and cannot stand sunlight, and we will do all in our civil power to direct the power of light unto this matter. It just might produce further evidence that the OSP requires to revive the dead.
Member of Parliament for the Asante Akyem North Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, has declined cooperation with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
This was revealed by the OSP in a statement.
This decision comes despite the public revelation of bribery allegations made by the MP against an unnamed businessman.
Mr Appiah-Kubi, leading a group of Majority MPs advocating for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, acknowledged in various media interviews throughout 2022 that he and fellow colleagues had received financial offers in Parliament with the intention of persuading them to withdraw their demand.
In its final report on an investigation triggered by a petition from OccupyGhana group, the OSP said Appiah-Kubi and other MPs including the Majority Leader, had refused to give the needed cooperation.
The report was released on Wednesday, 3 January 2024.
According to OccupyGhana, if the allegation of attempted bribery is established, it would amount to an attempt to influence the conduct of Members of Parliament in the course of their official duties.
Hence its petition to the OSP to investigate the affair and to proceed to prosecute if established.
In the report which spanned 8 months, the OSP revealed that: “The investigation showed that circa September 2022, eighty (80) Members of Parliament of the NPP publicly called for the resignation or removal of the Minister for Finance, Mr. Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta over complaints of his inability to properly manage the economy of Ghana. The apparent spokesperson of the group of eighty was Mr. Appiah-Kubi.
“Mr. Appiah-Kubi’s interview was first in time. He stated outrightly that a certain well-known wealthy Ghanaian businessman visited Parliament House on 1 October 2022 and requested a meeting with a section of NPP Members of Parliament.
“He stated that at the meeting the well-known wealthy businessman offered them huge sums of money in envelopes with the intention of influencing them to rescind their demand for the resignation or removal of Mr. Ofori-Atta. He further stated that the Members of Parliament stood their ground and rejected the offer of money. Mr. Appiah-Kubi did not disclose the identity of the well-known wealthy businessman during the interview.”
Despite admitting granting an interview on the Accra-based radio station, Mr Appiah-Kubi declined to reveal the identity of the businessman, the OSP’s report detailed.
“Mr. Appiah-Kubi admitted granting an interview on Joy FM in which he claimed that a certain well-known wealthy Ghanaian businessman visited Parliament House on 1 October 2022 and requested a meeting with a section of NPP Members of Parliament and that the businessman in question had attempted to bribe them.
“However, he declined to watch the audio-visual rendition of his interview on Joy FM. The interview was replayed to him anyway. Thereafter, he effectively invoked his right to remain silent.
“He refused to disclose the identities of the Members of Parliament present at the meeting with the undisclosed businessman. He refused to disclose the identity of the wealthy businessman. He refused to disclose the amount of money offered by the undisclosed businessman. He refused to answer all other questions posed to him.
“Mr. Appiah-Kubi showed open hostility to the authorised officers of the OSP and he was unyielding in his resolve not to cooperate with the investigation.
“Indeed, he flatly refused to cooperate with the OSP, though he had stated that he would fully cooperate with the investigation, and though he declared to the media subsequent to the OSP’s interview that he fully cooperated with the OSP,” the report indicated.
It further revealed that: “Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu denied direct knowledge of the matter. He denied knowledge of the undisclosed wealthy businessman and the amount of money he allegedly offered to the indicated section of Members of Parliament.
It added that Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that his “limited knowledge of the matter was based largely on rumours and the interview granted by Mr. Appiah-Kubi on Joy FM.”
Attempts by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to delve deeper into a purported case of a businessman attempting to bribe Majority Members of Parliament (MPs) have been foiled.
This, according to the OSP, is due to non-compliance of the accuser, Asante Akim MP Andy Appiah-Kubi.
He further noted that responses by Mr Appiah-Kubi, the accuser and a vital key to resolving the case, and the unnamed businessman “appear to be rehearsed and well-choreographed to produce a joint and similar denial of the events so vividly captured by Mr. Appiah-Kubi in his interview with Joy FM.”
The OSP contended that, “The circumstances of the case are such that the cooperation and testimony of the accuser of the well-known wealthy businessman are essential to a successful prosecution.
“That is to say, in the context of this case, the gathered intelligence of the OSP and its investigation of the activities of its identified suspect, [unnamed], are not sufficient to sustain criminal charges.
“The institution of criminal proceedings would of necessity require the input and testimony of the accuser.
“This is because the meeting occurred between the accuser and his undisclosed colleagues and the suspect and whatever transpired therein is known only to the accuser and his undisclosed colleagues and the suspect.
“The events must be recounted by the attendees of the meeting if criminal charges are to be sustained. This is even more so as, naturally, it appears there is no record of the meeting.”
The OSP determines that considering the lack of cooperation by MPs “the institution of criminal proceedings, at this time, against the OSP’s identified suspect would serve no useful purpose.”
Kissi Agyebeng added, “The investigation may be re-opened should the circumstances and further facts so dictate.”
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has affirmed that the joint declaration issued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Judicial Service reflects a profound commitment to combating corruption.
In an interview, the Public Relations Officer of the GBA, Saviour Kudze, expressed satisfaction with the collaborative effort, emphasizing that it signals a positive and reinvigorated commitment to the ongoing fight against corruption and associated activities.
“I’m using the word renewed because all along, they’ve been collaborating, they’ve been committed to the course of fighting corruption and corruption-related activities. This is the way we think we should go,” he said.
He added, “we should collaborate, we should learn to engage each other rather than go in the way we normally do. But this is also to stress the point that this doesn’t take away the fact that court rules and procedures must be observed.”
On Wednesday, the Judicial Service of Ghana and the Office of the Special Prosecutor officially pledged to jointly combat corruption through collaborative law enforcement and ensuring equitable hearings for all participants in the criminal justice system.
This commitment emerged in response to concerns raised by Ghana’s Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng, regarding perceived unfair rulings on cases related to corruption. Agyebeng expressed unease about what he saw as the court’s disregard for the powers of his office, particularly with what he deemed as swift dismissals of its cases.
Agyebeng argued that judges hindering the successful prosecution of politically exposed cases could have detrimental consequences for the country. However, after engaging with various stakeholders, including the Ghana Bar Association, the Judicial Service, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor, underscored the crucial roles of the Judiciary and the OSP in tackling corruption and related activities.
In response to the joint declaration, former MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, who served on the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, emphasized the significance of this collaborative effort in the nation’s ongoing fight against corruption.
On the part of the judiciary, he said, “They are concerned, clearly noting certain things that ought to be done, and then affirming their position to collaborate to fight this canker through established institutions, through established procedures.”
“So clearly, they are setting the signal…they note efforts being made in that direction. They note the impact of that on development, and they are saying that well, all of us ought to work together to fight corruption and fight with the seriousness and attention that it deserves,” Mr Fuseini said.
Legal expert Justice Abdulai has expressed concerns over the decision of the judiciary to collaborate with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in the fight against corruption.
He emphasized that the judiciary’s role as a gatekeeper to ensure due processes are followed creates worries when partnering with the prosecutor.
Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight show, Justice Abdulai, also a law lecturer at UPSA law school, stated that the collaboration raises questions about the impartiality of the judiciary.
“This is rather a difficult situation that is arising. Considering that these are two state institutions, one is set up to ensure that law and order and due processes are duly followed and the other to ensure that people who are suspected of engaging in corruption are prosecuted, this makes one an accuser or a prosecutor and the other a gatekeeper for all the right reasons. So if the two decide to come to together it will definitely be a worry to everyone sitting on the fence and looking at this situation.
“It is a worry that the person who is supposed to be a gatekeeper by ensuring that the rights and privileges accorded to individuals whether constitutionally or otherwise, are respected appears to be in bed with the person who is supposed to be complaining and prosecuting, clearly, that can’t be a good thing for us to be excited about, This is a worry to all of us to ask questions and to appreciate why the judiciary will tak such a position.
According to My Abdulai, the partnership between two state institutions—one ensuring due processes and the other prosecuting suspected corruption cases—creates a situation where one becomes an accuser or prosecutor, and the other a gatekeeper.
He urged the public to ask questions and understand why the judiciary would take such a position, stating that it is a matter of concern.
The Joint statement issued by the Judicial Service of Ghana and the OSP on December 27 affirmed their commitment to suppressing and repressing corruption through collaborative enforcement of the law while upholding the rule of law and fair hearing.
The decision was made following joint engagements with stakeholders, including the Ghana Bar Association, civil society organizations, and the National Media Commission.
The move comes after Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng raised concerns about judges dismissing cases presented by his office.
He cited instances where judges injuncted the OSP from arresting individuals declared fugitives from justice, leading to a perception that the judiciary was hindering anti-corruption efforts.
The joint effort aims to address the challenges posed by corruption and strengthen the collaboration between the judiciary and the OSP in combating corruption-related activities.
The Judicial Service of Ghana and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) have jointly declared their commitment to combat corruption, as stated in a collaborative announcement issued on December 27.
The shared commitment involves a united effort to suppress and repress corruption in all its forms through collaborative law enforcement and continuous engagement.
The institutions emphasize upholding the rule of law and providing fair hearings to all stakeholders in the criminal justice system.
The collaborative initiative was established following joint engagements with various stakeholders, including the Ghana Bar Association, civil society organizations focused on governance, and the National Media Commission.
This collective effort acknowledges the significant roles played by the Judiciary and the Office of the Special Prosecutor in combating corruption and related activities.
The move to strengthen collaboration between the Judicial Service and the OSP comes in response to the perceived severity of the challenges and threats posed by corruption and corruption-related activities to Ghana’s development and democracy.
This joint effort gains particular relevance in light of recent concerns raised by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, who expressed dissatisfaction with certain judicial decisions that impacted the prosecution of cases.
Mr Agyebeng highlighted instances where judges dismissed cases without sufficient inquiry, leading to a public debate on the matter.
The meeting between the Judicial Service and the OSP is seen as a response to address these concerns and foster a more effective and coordinated approach in the fight against corruption.
Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has made grave accusations against his successor, Kissi Agyebeng, asserting that Mr Agyebeng is attempting to shield mismanagement, corruption, and malpractices within the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) from public scrutiny.
Mr Amidu, a former anti-corruption crusader, contends that Agyebeng is resorting to desperate measures, including blackmailing the government and seeking support from opposition figures, to divert attention from the alleged wrongdoing within the OSP.
According to Amidu, “The Special Prosecutor, William Kissi Agyebeng, is so desperate to protect the mismanagement, the culture of corruption, massive staff recruitment malpractices, and public procurement malpractices which have become pervasive and endemic within the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on the blind side of President Nana Akufo-Addo.”
“Kissi Agyebeng has resorted to blackmailing the government and courting leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to create the impression that it is his appointing authority that is impeding his so-called fight against corruption.”
Mr Amidu raised concerns about Mr Agyebeng’s inability to distance himself from suspected corruption within the OSP, particularly regarding recruitment corruption and public procurement malpractices, which the OSP is mandated to prevent, investigate, and prosecute.
He cautions against allowing the suspected corruption within the OSP to undermine its fight against corruption and public procurement malpractices in Ghana.
Mr Amidu also questioned Mr Agyebeng’s motivations in selectively reporting cases, particularly highlighting corruption charges against former NPP government appointees.
He suggested that Agyebeng’s actions may be politically motivated, aiming to garner public sympathy by portraying the current government as hindering his anti-corruption efforts.
“One wonders the reasons Kissi Agyebeng has for selectively causing a social media post on only former NPP Government appointees being tried for corruption and corruption-related offences as though corruption offences have political colourations.”
