Former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah has rejected allegations made by the office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) that she is engaged in real estate activities using aliases, and that her deceased brother’s bank accounts continue to transfer funds to her.
These claims are outlined in an affidavit filed in response to an application seeking the confirmation of the re-seized GHc 2.83 million and the re-frozen bank accounts of Cecilia Dapaah.
The OSP submitted this application after a previous court order denied a similar request. In this new application, the Special Prosecutor’s office listed several points to support their argument that the seized funds at Cecilia Dapaah’s residence and the money in her bank accounts are tainted assets.
Regarding the reasons for classifying the funds in her bank accounts as tainted, the OSP alleged that there were suspicious transactions involving her accounts, including the operation of an undisclosed real estate company under the alias Nana Yaa Ode.
However, Cecilia Dapaah clarified that Nana Yaa Ode was her mother, not an alias she used for real estate transactions.
The OSP also claimed that funds from Cecilia Dapaah’s late brother’s bank account were still being transferred to her accounts. In response, Cecilia Dapaah stated that these funds were donations collected by Cal Bank at her brother’s funeral and were used to pay for her late brother’s children’s school fees.
Regarding the reseized money, the OSP alleged that Cecilia Dapaah had claimed part of it was proceeds from a cosmetic company called Demacare Cosmetics, which she registered in 2003.
However, the OSP raised concerns about the currency denominations, as the money was in new cedi denominations introduced in July 2007, not in existence in 2003.
Cecilia Dapaah clarified that she did not claim to have registered a business called Dermacare Enterprise but rather stated that she had a shop dealing in cosmetics, skincare, shoes, bags, and miscellaneous items.
Additionally, Cecilia Dapaah denied claims by the OSP that part of the money was $590,000 of the $1 million allegedly stolen from her home, for which eight individuals are facing criminal charges.
