Cecelia Dapaah Owns Stolen US$1m, €300K, GH¢350k – Court Papers

Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah is the owner of all cash sums that were allegedly stolen from her Abelenkpe residence by two former house helps.

This was contained in official charge sheet for the two accused and three others held as accomplices.

There are 10 charges in all according to the charge sheet prepared by the Special Investigative Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department of the police.

Counts 2, 3 and 4 refer to the losses the suffered by the complainant in terms of cash losses.

For each of the paticulars of the offence, it is concluded thus: “…the property of Cecilia Abena Dapaah.”

See the relevant monetary losses as contained in the charge sheet:

COUNT TWO

STATEMENT OF OFFENCE

STEALING: CONTRARY TO SECTION 124 (1) OF THE CRIMINAL OFFENCES ACT OF 1960, ACT 29

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE

PATIENCE BOTWE: (Age: 18 Yrs, Hairdresser): 2. SARAH AGYEI Age:30 Years, Unemployed Between the period of July and October 2022 at Abelemkpe in the Greater Accra Region and within the jurisdiction of this court, did dishonestly appropriate cash the sum of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000 USD) the property of Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

COUNT THREE

STATEMENT OF OFFENCE

STEALING: CONTRARY TO SECTION 124 (1) OF THE CRIMINAL OFFENCES ACT OF 1960, ACT 29

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE

PATIENCE BOTWE: (Age: 18 Yrs, Hairdresser), 2. SARAH AGYEI Age:30 Years, Unemployed Between the period of July and October 2022 at Abelemkpe in the Greater Accra Region and within the jurisdiction of this court, did dishonestly appropriate cash the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Euros (€300,000,000) the property of Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

COUNT FOUR

STATEMENT OF OFFENCE

STEALING: CONTRARY TO SECTION 124 (1) OF THE CRIMINAL OFFENCES ACT OF 1960, ACT 29

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE

PATIENCE BOTWE: (Age: 18 Yrs, Hairdresser): 2. SARAH AGYEI Age:30 Years, Unemployed: Between the period of July and October 2022 at Abelemkpe in the Greater Accra Region and within the jurisdiction of this court, did dishonestly appropriate cash the sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢ 350,000,000) the property of Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

Background

According to an official charge sheet from an Accra Circuit Court, the brazen thefts occurred at the couple’s residence in Abelemkpe, a suburb of Accra, over a three-month period from July to October 2022.

The accused, identified as Patience and Sarah, are facing serious charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime and multiple counts of stealing involving staggering amounts of money.

Not only were monetary assets stolen, but the accused also allegedly made off with personal belongings of Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, such as valuable clothes, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry. The stolen items amounted to a shocking value of GH¢95,000 and US$95,000.

Further accusations involved Patience acting alone in the theft of cultural treasures, including six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at US$3,000, which belonged to the minister’s husband.

The court has also charged three additional individuals in connection with the thefts, revealing the complexity of the case.

The accused allegedly used the stolen funds to finance various properties and purchases, including renting a 3-bedroom apartment and a store in Tamale, buying vehicles, and funding other personal expenses.

The court has adjourned the case to August 2, 2023, while investigations continue.