Cecilia Dapaah stolen Jewelry Allegedly Belonged to Late Wife of Otumfuo – Lawyer of 2nd Accused

The ongoing trial involving domestic workers and others accused of stealing valuables from the residence of former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, took a new turn on Monday, March 24.

During cross-examination, Madam Dapaah disclosed that her late brother, Nana Akwasi Essan II, also known as Charles Dapaah, was a subchief of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. She had previously testified that the accused individuals stole $210,000, which belonged to her late brother.

Lawyer Augustine Gyamfi questioned the former Minister about whether she came from a royal family responsible for safeguarding the possessions of the Asantehene’s spouse. Madam Dapaah, however, denied any royal lineage in her family. When asked to clarify her brother’s role at the Manhyia Palace, she confirmed that he served as “Numoahene,” a title held by one of Otumfuo’s chiefs.

The case revolves around stolen items from the witness’s home and the involvement of the second accused, Sarah Agyei.

In his defense, lawyer Gyamfi argued that intelligence gathered suggested that the jewelry allegedly stolen from Madam Dapaah’s residence originally belonged to the late wife of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II but had since been returned. He explained that as a subchief, Nana Akwasi Essan II was responsible for safeguarding the late Asantehene’s wife’s belongings.

When asked if she could confirm these claims, Cecilia Dapaah denied any knowledge of them.
“Do you want the court to believe that you haven’t returned jewelry belonging to Otumfuo’s wife from Pankrono through the Manhyia Palace after the accused were alleged to have stolen them?” Gyamfi questioned.
Cecilia Dapaah responded, “This has never happened. It’s history to me.”

Gyamfi further alleged that the former Minister had been in possession of the jewelry belonging to the late wife of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and only returned them after residents of Pankrono, Kumasi, pressured her to do so. He expressed surprise that she had accused his client of stealing the jewelry, noting that the kente cloths reportedly stolen were different from those presented by the police.

The seven accused individuals in the case include former house helps Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei, along with Benjamin Sowah, Malik Dauda, Christiana Achab, Job Pomary, and Yahaya Sumaila. They face charges of conspiracy, stealing, dishonestly receiving, and money laundering. All have pleaded not guilty and have been granted bail.

The case has been adjourned to May 12 for the continuation of cross-examination.