The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), has announced that it has complied with the High Court ruling directing it to return Cecilia Dapaah’s seized cash and unfreeze her bank accounts and investments.
However after unfreezing the accounts, the OSP froze the accounts again to aid in investigation into how they were acquired.
The OSP on Tuesday, September 5, issued a press statement saying it returned the cash and freed the accounts in keeping with the High Court orders to unfreeze the accounts and investments and return the former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister’s seized cash.
The OSP said the cash was returned to her in the presence of her lawyers, according to the OSP.
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has complied with the ruling and order of the High Court, Accra dated 31 August 2023 by unfreezing the frozen bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Abena Dapaah.”
“The OSP has also returned the seized cash sums of Ms. Dapaah in the presence and assent of Ms. Dapaah and her lawyers.”
“The satisfaction by the OSP of the order of the High Court terminates the proceedings of the seizure of the cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah commenced on 24 July 2023 and the freezing of her bank accounts and investments effected from 26 July 2023,” excerpts of the release said.
It said “Consequently, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that freezing the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah is necessary to facilitate the ongoing investigation.”
“Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has invoked his statutory power under section 38(1) of Act 959 and regulation 19(1) of L.I. 2374 by directing the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah effective 5 September 2023.”
“Further, subsequent to the indicated ruling and order of the High Court and the compliance by the OSP with said ruling and order, the Special Prosecutor considers that he has reasonable grounds to suspect that the cash amounts seized from and returned to Ms. Dapaah is tainted property and it is necessary to exercise the power of seizure to prevent the concealment or loss of said cash amounts.”
“Therefore, the Special Prosecutor has again invoked his statutory power under section 32(1)(a) of Act 959 by directing the seizure from Ms. Dapaah of the cash amounts previously seized from her. Authorized officers of the OSP have seized said cash amounts from Ms. Dapaah.”
Read the release from the OSP below
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
