News
Media reports claiming Cecilia Dapaah is cleared by FBI are false – OSP
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has dismissed media reports suggesting that former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has been cleared of corruption by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In a statement, the OSP said its attention had been drawn to several misleading publications which claimed that the FBI “found no evidence of corruption” or that Mrs. Dapaah “had been cleared.”
The office stressed that these reports were false and a misrepresentation of its Half-Yearly Report.
According to the OSP, the report stated that no direct and immediate evidence of corruption had been found, a legal standard that is different from saying there was “no evidence” or that the former minister had been cleared.
The OSP explained that the case was earlier referred to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after investigations revealed strong signs of suspected money laundering and structuring, which fall under EOCO’s mandate.
However, the previous leadership of EOCO failed to act and returned the docket.
The new leadership has since requested and received the docket again.
The OSP urged the media to report with accuracy and remain faithful to official documents, stressing that responsible communication is necessary on matters of high national interest.
By: Jacob Aggrey
National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has cautioned the National Democratic Congress NDC against seeking a review of the Supreme Court decision on the Kpandai parliamentary election.
According to him, pursuing a review could drain time, resources, and morale without producing any meaningful benefit.
Mr Vanderpuye explained that party leaders are currently studying the judgment and will decide whether to apply for a review after carefully analysing it.
He noted that while that process is ongoing, his personal view is that prolonged litigation often does more harm than good.
Mr Vanderpuye said he intends to speak with his former colleague involved in the case, stressing that similar legal battles in the past have dragged on for years without benefiting anyone.
He explained that extended court cases can break a person down emotionally and financially, describing them as a waste of energy, resources, and peace of mind.
In his view, it is sometimes better to let such matters go, reorganise, and prepare for the next election rather than remain locked in court battles.
Mr Vanderpuye argued that if the party does not have a strong case for a review, it should abandon the idea and focus on rebuilding.
He expressed confidence that the affected candidate is young and could benefit from public sympathy in future elections, especially if people believe he was not treated fairly.
Drawing comparisons, he noted that several politicians, including Matthew Nyindam, have lost elections before but later regrouped and returned to Parliament.
According to him, losing an election is not the end of one’s political life, and reflection and reorganisation are often necessary steps toward a comeback.
Mr Vanderpuye highlighted the personal toll the legal battle has taken on the candidate, noting that he spent a lot of money and travelled extensively in search of support during the by election period.
He added that the psychological impact of such prolonged cases is often overlooked, but it can be clearly seen in the behaviour and state of mind of those involved.
He stressed that the Supreme Court rarely reviews its own decisions unless there is very strong and convincing evidence.
Mr Vanderpuye pointed out that securing a review is even more difficult when the original ruling was reached by a strong majority decision.
He therefore urged the NDC to carefully weigh its options and avoid unnecessary stress, concluding that without compelling grounds, a review application would likely be a fruitless exercise.
By: Jacob Aggrey
A law lecturer at the University of Professional Studies Accra UPSA, Isaq Ibrahim, has claimed that former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is the candidate the National Democratic Congress NDC fears most ahead of the New Patriotic Party flagbearer race.
According to him, this fear explains why the NDC appears to favour Kennedy Agyapong emerging as the NPP’s presidential candidate.
Mr Ibrahim made the remarks while appealing to NPP delegates to vote for Dr Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer.
He described Dr Bawumia as the strongest among the aspirants and the party’s best chance of winning political power in the 2028 general election.
Mr Ibrahim expressed confidence that the party’s delegates would make the right choice when they go to vote, stressing that Dr Bawumia has already been marketed across all 276 constituencies.
He noted that the party has no difficulty selling Dr Bawumia to voters and can do so again ahead of the next election.
According to him, if he had a vote, he would have cast it for Dr Bawumia, but since he does not, he could only appeal to delegates to support the former Vice President.
He warned that choosing any other candidate could weaken the party’s chances in 2028.
Mr Ibrahim argued that some of the other aspirants have past statements and issues that could be used against them by the NDC during the campaign.
He claimed that the ruling party is waiting for the NPP to make a mistake by electing a candidate whose past actions or comments could damage the party.
He therefore urged delegates to be careful and avoid choices that could undermine the party’s chances of returning to power.
According to him, selecting Dr Bawumia would give the NPP the best opportunity to win the 2028 elections and avoid internal and external setbacks.
By: Jacob Aggrey
