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OSP drops all cases against Cecilia Dapaah, Ordered to return seized assets
The Special Prosecutor has dropped the application to confirm the seizure and the freezing of the monies and bank accounts of Cecilia Dapaah.
The office has also dropped a criminal trial instigated against the former sanitation minister for failure to declare her assets.
This decision was taken after a series of in-chamber hearings on the matter. The Special Prosecutor for months now has had in its custody monies of Cecilia Dapaah seized when her house was searched as part of the investigations.
The office also froze some bank accounts of Cecilia Dapaah for allegedly being tainted with corruption and corruption-related activities.
Attempts by Cecilia Dapaah to get the OSP to move an application to confirm or deny the action have suffered delays. First as a result of an appeal filed at the court of appeal on an earlier ruling denying the first application to confirm the properties and a certiorari application on a decision to abridge the time for hearing of the instant application.
After that, the Judge presiding over the case had to go for leave and a new judge was appointed to preside over the case.
The case has since been held in chambers after the first hearing in open court. But after a hearing in chambers on Thursday, January 25, sources close to the legal teams revealed that the office of the Special Prosecutor has decided to withdraw the case against Cecilia Dapaah.
The reason for the withdrawal is not yet known, but the Judge according to Citi News sources has given the OSP 72 hours to release the properties to Cecilia Dapaah.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
