A dramatic turn of events unfolded in the ongoing theft case involving former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah, as five of the seven accused persons expressed interest in plea bargaining.
The case, heard at the Criminal Court division of the High Court in Accra, saw key developments as Cecilia Dapaah testified about the alleged theft of significant sums of money and valuables from her home.
According to Cecilia Dapaah’s testimony, the accused persons, including Patience Botwe, Sarah Agyei, and Malik Dauda, were known to her personally, having worked with them in her household.
Cecilia Dapaah recounted how she first got to know Botwe through Dauda, whom she and her husband had known for two decades.
Agyei had been their house help for over five years but was later dismissed due to conflicts with Dauda.
The court heard how Dapaah’s husband discovered Botwe in one of their storerooms on October 6, 2022, while Dapaah was away in Kumasi.
Upon his return from reporting the incident to the police, he noticed that the storeroom had been ransacked. When Dapaah returned home on October 10, she confirmed that valuables, including clothing, jewelry, and cash in multiple currencies, were missing.
The stolen amounts, as stated in court, included $210,000 belonging to Dapaah’s late brother, $200,000 belonging to a client of her husband, €300,000 belonging to her husband, GH₵300,000 meant for family funeral contributions, GH₵50,000 of her personal funds, and $95,000 worth of jewelry accumulated over 35 years.
Cecila Dapaah explained that she and her husband initially hoped to recover the stolen money by appealing to Botwe, but later learned from the police that the funds had been distributed among several individuals, including the other accused persons. Botwe was arrested, granted bail, but later absconded before being rearrested along with another accused in Tamale.
During cross-examination, Cecilia Dapaah confirmed that she could not recall the exact total of the stolen money but maintained that she had provided accurate figures in different currencies.
She admitted that she did not know two of the accused persons, raising questions about their involvement in the case.
The presiding judge, Justice Marie-Louise Simmons, ruled that since disclosures had already been made, the prosecution’s case was strong enough for plea bargaining discussions.
However, since the plea process had not formally commenced, the trial would continue with cross-examinations to ensure that, in the event of a failed plea deal, the case would not have to restart.
The court adjourned the case to March 12, 2025, at 9:00 AM.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
