 has disclosed that its investigations, conducted in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States, have not established direct and immediate evidence of corruption in relation to seized funds and frozen bank accounts linked to former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, and her associates.){kind=link}
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has disclosed that its investigations, conducted in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States, have not established direct and immediate evidence of corruption in relation to seized funds and frozen bank accounts linked to former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, and her associates.
The OSP, in its half-year report for 2025, stated that after nearly seven months of extensive inquiries, both in Ghana and abroad, no corruption-related proof was found. However, the Office noted that the investigation uncovered “strong indications of suspected money laundering and structuring, beyond the direct mandate of the Office.”
The high-profile probe began in July 2023, following revelations of large sums of money and valuable items allegedly discovered in the former Minister’s residence. The case sparked widespread public debate and attracted international attention, prompting the OSP to engage the FBI in a joint inquiry.
Background
The partnership between the OSP and FBI was announced shortly after lawyers for Ms. Dapaah filed an affidavit at the Human Rights Division of the High Court, seeking an interlocutory injunction to halt the OSP’s investigations. The former Bantama MP argued that the re-seizure of her monies and the re-freezing of her accounts were “unfair, unreasonable, capricious, arbitrary and ultra vires.”
In her affidavit, she urged the court to restrain the OSP from continuing its probe, claiming that her constitutional rights were being violated.
Aside from the corruption-related investigation, the OSP also charged Ms. Dapaah for failing to declare her income as required under Section 69(1)(a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959). According to the Office, she failed to return the duly completed statutory forms within 30 days, despite a lawful demand.
“As at close of business on 5 October 2023, the Accused had wilfully failed, without lawful excuse, to return the duly completed statutory forms to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, more than thirty (30) days after the service of the notice and forms to her,” the report stated.