A formal petition has been submitted to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) by five concerned individuals, demanding an investigation into former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah over allegations of possessing assets far exceeding her known income.
The petitioners Mensah Thompson, Al-Hassan Kwadwo Baidoo, Bernard Anbataayela Mornah, Ransford Antwi, and Joyce Atitso are calling for a thorough inquiry into Dapaah’s finances. This request follows a series of high-profile events that began with a theft at Dapaah’s residence, leading to her resignation in July 2023.
The theft, which exposed the loss of substantial sums of money and luxury items, initially brought Dapaah into the public spotlight. Stolen from her home were $1 million, €300,000, and GH¢350,000 in cash, along with luxury handbags valued at $35,000 and jewelry worth $95,000. These revelations sparked public outrage, especially given Ghana’s economic challenges and the devaluation of the cedi.
Following her resignation, Dapaah was detained by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which discovered over GH¢48 million in her bank accounts. Despite a seven-month investigation involving the FBI, the OSP dropped the charges due to insufficient evidence and transferred the case to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). EOCO, in turn, returned the docket to the OSP, also citing insufficient evidence.
On May 20, the petitioners appealed to CHRAJ to examine Ms. Dapaah’s assets, which reportedly include $1,390,000, €300,000, and GH₵3,212,007, alongside multiple bank accounts in both cedis and dollars. They underscored the necessity of this investigation, highlighting that “during interrogation by the OSP as to the source of her income, Madam Cecilia Dapaah could not give any proper explanation.”
CHRAJ has yet to comment on the petition, but the call for transparency and accountability in public office continues to resonate amid ongoing economic difficulties in the country.
This petition adds to the growing demand for clarity regarding the sources of wealth of public officials, aiming to uphold integrity and trust in Ghana’s governance structures.
Read the full petition below:
