Former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, has testified before an Accra High Court, alleging that her jewellery worth $53,000 was stolen by the accused persons.
Taking the witness stand on Tuesday, March 11, she further revealed that the accused workers also made off with valuable items she had acquired over the past 30 years.
Mrs. Dapaah added that other cherished personal belongings were taken over a period of time.
The case involves allegations that her domestic workers stole large sums of money and valuables from her residence.
The accused, including her former house helps, have been charged with conspiracy, stealing, and dishonestly receiving.
Background
The case against former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, centers on allegations of theft involving her domestic workers, who are accused of stealing large sums of money, jewellery, and other valuables from her home.
Since 2023, two former housekeepers—18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei—have been standing trial for allegedly stealing millions of cedis worth of cash and items from the minister and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour. The thefts reportedly took place between July and October 2022 at their residence in Abelemkpe, Accra.
The accused individuals face charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing. Among the stolen items were assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, six pieces of Kente cloth worth GH¢90,000, and six sets of men’s suits valued at $3,000, belonging to Mr. Kuffour.
Investigations also implicated three other individuals—Ms. Botwe’s father and two boyfriends—who have been charged with dishonestly receiving stolen money, allegedly amounting to GH¢1 million, GH¢180,000, and GH¢50,000, respectively.
The case came to light in June 2023 when the couple reported missing cash and valuables to the police. Ms. Botwe was later caught entering their bedroom with a duplicate key, leading to her arrest. Further investigations revealed that she, with Sarah’s assistance, had hidden large sums of money and used part of it to acquire properties and luxury goods.
The scandal escalated when the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) took an interest in the case and arrested Cecilia Dapaah to probe the source of the stolen funds. However, the case with the OSP did not lead to prosecution, despite public outrage that ultimately forced Dapaah to resign as Minister of State amid questions about the large sums of cash stashed in her home.
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