Cecilia Dapaah’s stolen cash saga: Husband of former minister testifies

The former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah’s husband has narrated to an Accra High Court the chronology of events that led to the arrest of seven persons involved in the stealing of valuable items at their residence in Tesano, Accra.

Daniel Osei Kufour on Friday, May 3, 2024 indicated that on October 6, 2022, after aborting plans to travel to Akyim Oda for a family meeting, he met the first accused, Patience Botwe in their bedroom and got her accosted with the help of the Police officer stationed with him.

“When I entered the house, I realized that the lights in the bedroom corridor which I had earlier switched off, were on and I further heard unusual noises which got me alarmed because I suspected that there was an intruder in the house.

“I realized that the door to the kitchen was opened, so I entered the kitchen but there was no one there. I then went to our bedroom and saw that the door was open, with a strange key which had been left in the keyhole. I entered but I did not see anyone in the master bedroom. I also realized that the storeroom (our third bedroom used for storage) was open.

“Before entering the storeroom, I realized that the storeroom was opened with the original key which had always been safely kept in the master bedroom. I entered the storeroom and there I saw the 1st accused person hiding behind the door. When I asked her what she was doing in our storeroom, she failed to give me any reason. I marched her out of the storeroom and while on the corridor, she escaped.

“I immediately drew the attention of my driver, Raymond Ashi, who finally found her hiding in the toilet of the Boys Quarters. So, with the assistance of the policeman on duty, we took her to the Tesano Police station,” Mr Osei Kufour noted.

He also outlined the monies and valuable items which had been stolen from their home.

“When I returned home from the police station, I noticed that the storeroom had been ransacked. Subsequently, my wife and I found out that some of our valuables as well as huge sums of monies had been stolen from the storeroom.

“This included an amount of 210,000 US Dollars which belonged to my wife’s deceased brother, Nana Akwasi Essan II alias Charles Dapaah. Other monies stolen from our storeroom were: $200,000 USD belonging to Dorcas Wiredua, my niece who is also my client. £300,000 belonging to me. GHC300,000 being contributions that my wife’s siblings and her made towards the funeral of her late mother and GHC50,000 belonging to my wife,” he disclosed to the court.

But during cross-examination by the lawyer for the second accused, Sarah Agyei, husband of the former Sanitation Minister disclosed to the court that despite leaving the house after five and half years as a housekeeper, she was not in the house at the time the arrest was made.

Augustine Gyamfi asserted that the second accused could not be dragged into the case since she had been away for a year and half after she left the house. He added that Cecilia Dapaah pleaded for her to return to the house after realising she was an astute housekeeper.

But Mr Osei Kufour disagreed, he averred that although he was first shocked that Sarah Agyei had been linked to the robbery, additional information available to him made it clear she was the mastermind.

The seven accused persons standing trial for stealing monies from the former minister’s residence were granted bail but have been unable to fulfill the conditions, so they remain in legal custody.

Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei, the two housekeepers, are accused of conspiring and stealing $410,000, €300,000, and GH¢350,000 from Cecilia Dapaah and her husband. This led to public outrage and prompted Madam Dapaah to resign from her position.

Benjamin Sowah, Malik Dauda, Christiana Achab, Job Pomary, and Yahaya Sumaila face charges of knowingly receiving GH¢4,010,000 and $14,000 from the duo.

Additionally, Sarah Agyei is charged with stealing jewellery worth $95,000 belonging to the former minister and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffuor. The total amount stolen from the minister’s household, including cash and property, sums up to $505,000.

All seven individuals are also accused of money laundering, as they allegedly used the stolen funds to purchase properties.

The case has since been adjourned to May 15 for the continuation of the cross-examination of Daniel Osei Kufour.

Read also:

Ask Special Prosecutor – Attorney-General on whether Cecilia Dapaah’s case is over

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