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Cecilia Dapaah’s theft case: One more gets ₵300k bail
One more person has been admitted to bail in the case in which seven persons are standing trial for allegedly stealing sums of money from former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah’s residence in Accra.
So far, three out of the seven accused persons are on bail.
The Circuit Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah admitted Job Pomary, the sixth accused person, to bail in the sum of GHC300, 000 with three sureties to be justified.
The court directed Pomary to deposit his passport with the court’s Registry.
The remaining four accused persons have been remanded into Police custody by the court and are expected to reappear on September 5.
When sitting resumed on Tuesday, counsel for Pomary drew the court’s attention to the bail application it had filed.
The prosecution, led by Akosua Agyapoma, an Assistant State Attorney, did not oppose the application for bail.
She said the State was earnestly working hard to conclude investigations and prayed for the court to grant them two weeks adjournment.
Lawyers of the other accused persons, who wanted to make oral application for bail, were directed by the court to do so by filing written bail applications.
The two accused persons, who were said to be lactating mothers, were granted bail of GHC1 million each with three sureties at the last sitting.
The two are Patience Botwe and Christiana Achab.
All the accused persons are facing eleven charges for allegedly stealing money and items from the residence of the former Minister.
The charges include six counts of stealing and five counts of dishonestly receiving.
The court ordered the defence counsels for the two who were granted bail to provide documented evidence proving that they are lactating mothers.
Earlier the prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, said that the fact and charge sheets had been amended.
Meanwhile, the court has discharged Kwaku Botwe, father of Patience Botwe, alias, Maabena.
The prosecution said one other accused, Franklin Sarakpo, was at large.
DSP Nyamekye said the complainants in the case were Mr Daniel Osei Kufour and his wife Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who lived at Abelemkpe in Accra.
The prosecution said the first accused, Patience Botwe, was a house help of the complainants, and that the second accused, Sarah Agyei, was unemployed and a former house help of the complainants.
DSP Nyamekye said the third accused, Benjamin Sowah, was Patience Botwe’s boyfriend, and the fourth accused, Malik Dauda, was the first accused’s former boyfriend and the fifth accused is Christiana Achab, a trader.
The court heard that the sixth accused is Job Pomary, husband of fifth accused, the seventh accused, Yahaya Sumaila, an excavator operator, residing at Sagnarigu, in the Tamale Metropolis and eighth accused, Franklin Sarakpo, son of fifth accused, who is on the run.
DSP Nyamekye said the police commenced investigations when in June 2023, the complainants reported theft of their cash and personal effects.
It said police investigations led to the arrest of the first and third accused persons at their hideouts in Tamale in the Northern Region.
DSP Nyamekye said when a search was conducted in the rooms of the accused, $40,000 and GHC7,619.70 were found.
The prosecution said further investigations revealed that in October last year, Mr Kufour returned from town and noticed that their bedroom had been opened and he heard an unusual noise in the house.
DSP Nyamekye said when he (complainant) entered the room, he found the first accused hiding behind the door of the storeroom holding duplicate keys to the master bedroom.
The court heard that the complainants detected theft of money and personal belongings from the room.
DSP Nyamekye said the first accused told the police during interrogation that she gave $70,000 out of the stolen money to the fifth accused allegedly to buy a three-bedroom house at Amrahia for her, and also bought some brand-new items, which were retrieved from the house.
credit:myjoyonline.com
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Let’s reintroduce Cultural Studies to complement educational reforms — Tourism Minister
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has emphasised the importance of reintroducing Cultural Studies in schools as part of Ghana’s broader educational reform agenda.
She said Cultural Studies would complement existing efforts to reposition Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to promote digital literacy and expand Creative Arts education.
Speaking at the 2025 Homowo Festival of the people of Ningo-Prampram, held on the theme: “Education: The Best Legacy for our Children,” Madam Gomashie said cultural education was critical to national identity and development.
She noted that the festival’s theme aligned with the Government’s vision to transform education in Ghana and encouraged the youth to embrace it not only as a means of personal development but also as a way of preserving traditional values.
These values, including patience, wisdom, and hard work, were at the core of the Homowo celebration, the Minister said.
“Cultural festivals like Homowo are vital instruments for strengthening cultural identity, preserving historical memory, and fostering national unity. Additionally, festivals serve as platforms for educating the youth through storytelling, music, dance, and other traditional practices, while also providing opportunities for community engagement.”
Madam Gomashie highlighted the strong foundation that Ghana’s tourism was built on, which included culture, traditions, and the creative industry, collectively contributing to over GH¢4.8 billion to the economy.
“Festivals give tourists reasons to visit our country. Therefore, with the right infrastructure and the development of all the domains, the sector can do more than what has been recorded,” she added.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, commended the community for their vibrant participation in the festival. He announced plans for the construction of a new nursing training school in Ningo, aimed at expanding access to healthcare education in the area.
Nene Osroagbo Djangmah XII, Paramount Chief of Great Ningo Traditional Area; King Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse; Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Paramount Chief of the Prampram Traditional Area; Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area; Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, Paramount Queen Mother of Great Ningo; and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Special Envoy on Religion and Inter-Faith Affairs, who represented the Chief of Staff, were among dignitaries at the festival. -GNA
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
