ACCRA — In a significant development, the state has escalated charges against the former housekeeper of Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a former minister for Water Resources and Sanitation, and seven other individuals. The group is now set to face trial at the High Court.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Deputy Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Nyamekye announced the updated charges on Wednesday. With this development, the prosecution has requested a short postponement to facilitate the transfer of the case from the Circuit Court to the High Court.
The trial judge, Mrs. Afia Owusua Appiah, acknowledged the request by the prosecution and adjourned the case to November 8, 2023. The eight accused, including a hairdresser, traders, and individuals from various professions, are confronted with eleven charges. The allegations comprise six counts of stealing and five counts of dishonesty related to incidents at the former minister's residence.
The Circuit Court has yet to record the pleas of the accused persons. Notably, one Kwaku Botwe, the father of one of the accused, Patience Botwe, has been discharged by the court. Meanwhile, one individual, Franklin Sarakpo, remains at large.
The case originated when Mr. Daniel Osei Kufour and his wife, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, residents of Abelemkpe in Accra, filed a complaint in June 2023 over the theft of cash and personal items. Subsequent police investigation led to the discovery of $40,000 and GHC7,619.70 in the rooms of the arrested accused in Tamale, Northern Region.
Further revelations during police interrogation outlined the alleged involvement of the accused in the acquisition of a three-bedroom property and the possession of several new items traced back to the stolen funds.
As the case prepares to move to the High Court, the specifics of the theft, including the use of duplicate keys and the concealment of stolen funds in real estate, add layers of complexity to this high-profile case.