Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has indicated that the freezing of former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah’s cedi and dollar accounts must be a cause for celebration.
He explained that the freezing may be a good start for the state to recover funds that may have been acquired through illegal and corrupt means.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, he told Selorm Adonoo that rumours of the freeze reached him in the early hours of Wednesday, and he was excited when it was later reported by various news portals.
“The freezing is super-duper because of this current situation and the money involved. There were whispers of it in town following the search of the former Minister’s house. What I am hearing is that they have found $5 million in her account and found GH¢40 million in another.”
Kpebu further charged that it would be in the former minister’s interest to publicly explain to Ghanaians how she came by those monies, as it is perceived that the funds are proceeds of corruption.
“It will be interesting for her to come and tell us what she did to get all those monies and of course, the Ghana Revenue Authority will also come in for her to explain how she got those monies and this will also bring eggs on President Akufo-Addo’s face who keeps saying he is against corruption.”
“Though we have to wait for investigations to unravel the facts, I believe that the monies they have discovered in her accounts are likely proceeds of corruption. Rumours of her owning restaurants, cosmetic companies, and other hosts of companies may be palpable lies.”
News broke on July 21 of a court case against two domestic helps of the former minister and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour.
The two were put before an Accra Circuit Court, for allegedly stealing US$1 million, €300,000 and millions of Ghana cedis in the house of the former minister.
Madam Dapaah eventually resigned on July 22 after several calls were made for her to leave office for investigations to commence.
Officials from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on Monday, July 24, 2023, also searched the former Minister’s Abelemkpe home after she was picked for questioning over suspected corruption.