Godfred Yeboah Dame and John Mahama
Accusations of the closure of investigations surrounding the scandal involving former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, have been refuted by Isaac Wilberforce Mensah, the Spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office.
Mensah clarified that the office had advised the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) against initiating money laundering investigations into Dapaah’s affairs, as the request by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was deemed unfounded.
In response to these allegations, John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), vowed to reopen investigations into the scandal if he is elected President.
Mahama emphasized his commitment to combating corruption, stating, “My government will reopen investigations into alleged acts of corruption and graft in the Cecelia Dapaah case.”
Speaking in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Citi FM Eyewitness News, Mensah clarified that the advice given by the Attorney General’s Office did not mean that investigations into the matter had been terminated.
He further explained that the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had yet to establish any concrete offences.
Mensah pointed out, “What the AG has done is not to close any door for investigation. We have not closed any door for investigation. The AG has indicated already that the police are investigating this matter.”
He also highlighted that most of the documents used during the OSP’s investigations were obtained from the Ghana Police Service.
Responding to Mahama’s suggestion of reopening investigations, the Spokesperson of the AG’s Office emphasized their commitment to serving the country regardless of the administration.
He stated, “No, the department we are here to serve the country. The office of the AG transcends administrations. So yes, if investigations are opened and there is a need to prosecute, why not. But as it stands now, no crime has been established.”
The Attorney General’s Office maintains that investigations into the alleged corruption in the Cecilia Dapaah case are ongoing and that no final conclusions have been reached at this stage.
By Vincent Kubi