Former Majority Leader and Interior Minister Cletus Avoka has condemned the Economic and Organised Crime Office’s (EOCO) handling of the Cecilia Dapaah case, calling it a “travesty of justice.” Avoka’s remarks highlight growing dissatisfaction with EOCO’s actions following the discovery of a significant sum of money at the residence of the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah.
“This is corruption for EOCO to claim there was nothing wrong with the incident,” Avoka stated. “The government must take more decisive action. Frankly speaking, EOCO’s treatment of the Cecilia Dapaah case is a travesty of justice.”
This controversy has prompted a coalition of prominent Ghanaians, including former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo, anti-graft advocate Martin Kpebu, security analyst Dr. Adam Bona, and academic Professor Ransford Gyampo, among others, to file a petition to Parliament. They demand a bipartisan investigation into EOCO’s conduct during the investigation.
The petition, submitted on May 16, 2024, argues that EOCO had sufficient grounds to investigate Dapaah for money laundering. The group points to her inconsistent explanations and inability to account for the large sum of money seized by the Special Prosecutor (OSP) from her residence. “The failure to explain the source of the money should have been the cornerstone of the investigation,” the petition asserts.
Further, the petition criticizes EOCO’s alleged deliberate refusal to protect the seized funds and their failure to act promptly upon receiving the docket from the OSP. The OSP had publicly stated that EOCO did not act in time to seize the money being returned to Dapaah. The group also highlights EOCO’s inconsistent public statements and actions throughout the investigation.
This development underscores the ongoing tension between state anti-corruption agencies over the handling of the Dapaah case. The OSP has openly criticized EOCO for its lack of enthusiasm in probing the matter, despite the detailed information provided.
As calls for a bipartisan probe grow louder, the spotlight remains firmly on EOCO and its role in what many see as a critical test of Ghana’s commitment to fighting corruption.
