The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has disclosed that investigations conducted jointly with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States found no direct evidence of corruption against former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, in relation to seized funds and frozen bank accounts.
According to the OSP’s half-year report for 2025, the inquiry — which lasted nearly seven months — confirmed that although large sums of cash and valuable items were linked to Madam Dapaah and her associates, no immediate proof of corruption was established.
“After nearly seven months of extensive investigation by the Office and a parallel inquiry by the FBI in the United States, no direct and immediate evidence of corruption was found in respect of seized funds and frozen bank accounts linked to Ms. Dapaah and her associates – though the investigation identified strong indications of suspected money laundering and structuring, beyond the direct mandate of the Office,” the report stated.
The OSP began probing the former minister in July 2023 after revelations of huge sums of money discovered in her residence. The case drew nationwide attention, sparking debates over accountability and unexplained wealth among public officials.
Meanwhile, Madam Dapaah had earlier described the re-seizure of her money and the freezing of her accounts as “unfair, unreasonable, capricious, arbitrary and ultra vires.” In court filings, she argued that the OSP’s actions violated her constitutional rights, praying the High Court to restrain the investigative body.
In addition to the corruption inquiry, the OSP charged the former Bantama MP with failing to declare her income within the statutory 30-day period, contrary to Section 69(1)(a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The development has shifted public focus on whether other state agencies with jurisdiction over money laundering and financial crimes will now take up the aspects beyond the OSP’s mandate.
