Former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has once again been thrust into the public spotlight as the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) prepares to invite her for questioning over allegations related to suspected money laundering. This follows a protracted investigative impasse involving multiple state agencies, including the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Attorney General’s (AG) Department, and EOCO itself.
Cecilia Dapaah’s legal troubles began in July 2023 after reports emerged that large sums of money $1 million, €300,000, and GH₵350,000 had allegedly been stolen from her Abelemkpe residence by her domestic staff. The revelations triggered national outrage and prompted the OSP to open a formal inquiry into the origins of the funds. The OSP, led by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, subsequently uncovered additional cash during searches at multiple properties linked to the former minister. A statement from the OSP at the time confirmed the recovery of $590,000 and GH₵2.73 million in cash from her home.
“The amount of money found in the residence, in addition to what was initially reported stolen, raises reasonable suspicion of corruption and money laundering,” the OSP stated in an interim report in late 2023. The OSP then froze multiple bank accounts belonging to Mrs. Dapaah and her husband, pending further investigations. However, despite months of probing, the OSP concluded in early 2024 that while there was insufficient evidence to pursue corruption charges, there were “reasonable grounds to suspect money laundering and structuring.” These offenses fall outside the OSP’s jurisdiction, prompting the agency to transfer the docket to EOCO, which has the statutory mandate to investigate financial and organized crimes.
EOCO confirmed receipt of the case file in February 2024 and subsequently requested guidance from the Attorney General’s Department. But in a surprising twist, Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame advised EOCO not to proceed with any investigation, citing what he described as an “empty docket” and a lack of conclusive evidence.
According to the AG’s official legal opinion, the OSP’s submission “did not identify any specific predicate offense or demonstrate a basis to proceed with a money laundering charge,” thus making it legally unsustainable for EOCO to continue the probe. That decision sparked widespread public criticism, with anti-corruption activists and legal analysts questioning the coordination and effectiveness of Ghana’s criminal justice system.
Speaking to the media last month, private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu accused EOCO and the Ghana Police Service of dereliction of duty.
“This is a clear case of sleeping on the job,” Kpebu said. “How can such colossal amounts of unexplained cash be found, and yet we’re told there’s no evidence to proceed? The state must take this seriously, or we risk institutionalizing impunity.”
Kpebu has since called for the resignation of EOCO’s Executive Director, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, alleging incompetence and a lack of resolve in handling high-profile cases.
Civil society organizations have also weighed in on the issue. The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the local chapter of Transparency International, expressed concerns over the apparent lack of cooperation between the OSP and EOCO.
“The way this case has been handled so far only feeds the public perception that certain individuals are above the law,” said GII Executive Director Mary Adda. “The agencies must clarify their roles and coordinate better.”
In response to the backlash, the OSP defended its decision to refer the case, describing its role as that of a whistleblower once its statutory limits were reached.
Sammy Appiah Darko, Director of Strategy, Research, and Communication at the OSP, explained in an interview that, “We did not throw an empty docket at EOCO. We gave them everything we had, including collaboration with the FBI. We expected EOCO, with their broader mandate on organized crime and money laundering, to pick it up from there.”
Sources within EOCO have confirmed that Ms. Dapaah is expected to be formally invited in the coming days to assist with ongoing investigations, despite the AG’s earlier advice. An official familiar with the matter told this reporter on condition of anonymity that “new legal avenues are being considered” following continued pressure from advocacy groups and sections of the public.
For now, Cecilia Dapaah remains tight-lipped, having denied all allegations since the scandal first broke. Her legal team maintains that the funds in question were lawfully acquired and meant for “personal and family purposes.” Attempts to reach Ms. Dapaah or her lawyers for comment on the latest EOCO developments have so far been unsuccessful.
As the case unfolds, it continues to raise fundamental questions about institutional coordination in fighting economic crimes, the limits of investigative mandates, and the perception of justice in Ghana. With EOCO now taking a second look, many are watching closely to see whether this new phase will yield the answers that the public and indeed the law demands.