In a surprising turn of events, the father of the first accused person in the high-profile case involving the house helps of former Minister of Sanitation, Cecilia Dapaah, has been released after the prosecution amended the charge sheet.
Kwaku Botwe, the alleged father of the 18-year-old former house help of Madam Dapaah was discharged by the court following the amendment of the charge sheet.
However, DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye revealed that there are still some suspects yet to be arrested, and more property is yet to be retrieved.
The defense counsel argued that the accused persons have been in custody for over a month and have cooperated with the investigations. As a result, they pleaded with the court for bail for all the seven suspects.
The Judge, Afia Owusua Appiah, however, only granted bail to two of the accused persons who were said to be lactating mothers.
They were granted bail in the sum of GHC1million with three sureties to be justified. The sureties are also required to deposit their passports and Ghana cards.
Judge Appiah also directed the defense lawyers to provide evidence of the two accused persons being lactating mothers. She further ordered them to put in a formal application for bail for the other accused persons.
This development has left many bewildered and questioning the progress of the investigation.
The case, which has been making headlines for over a month, took a dramatic twist as the police uncovered four additional houses and two cars that were allegedly purchased with money stolen from Cecilia Dapaah’s residence.
These findings shed new light on the extent of the alleged embezzlement and have raised concerns about the scale of corruption within the ministry.
Prosecutor DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye, who is leading the investigation, has expressed shock and concern over the recent discoveries. “This is a significant development in the case. It indicates a much larger network involved in the embezzlement scheme,” he stated during a press conference held earlier today.
The amended charge sheet suggests that the stolen funds were utilized to acquire luxurious properties and vehicles, indicating a high level of sophistication and planning. The police have intensified their efforts to uncover the full extent of the embezzlement and bring all those involved to justice.
The release of the first accused person’s father has sparked controversy, with many questioning the motives behind the prosecution’s decision. Some speculate that this move could be an attempt to gather more evidence or secure the cooperation of the accused in exchange for leniency.
Cecilia Dapaah, the former Minister of Sanitation, has remained tight-lipped about the recent developments, but her legal team is expected to issue a statement soon.
The public is eagerly awaits further updates on the investigation and hopes that justice will prevail in this high-profile corruption case.
As the case unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that the alleged embezzlement of funds from Cecilia Dapaah’s residence is not an isolated incident but part of a larger network involved in corruption.
The authorities must act swiftly and decisively to restore public trust and demonstrate their commitment to combating corruption at all levels.
Meanwhile, the police have uncovered four additional houses and two cars that were allegedly purchased with money stolen from the residence of the former Minister of Sanitation, Cecilia Dapaah.
The discovery was made during police investigations into the case, which has been ongoing for over a month.
According to DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye, the two cars were purchased for a total of GHC600,000. He revealed that the discovery was made after the last adjourned date, which was on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.
As a result of the new discovery, the prosecution has substituted the previous charge sheet with a new one. However, the pleas of the accused persons are yet to be taken.
The Cecilia Dapaah case has been adjourned to August 22, 2023, as the prosecution continues its investigations.
The discovery of the additional houses and cars has sent shockwaves throughout the country and has raised more questions about the alleged theft from the former Minister of Sanitation’s residence.
By Vincent Kubi