Anti-graft crusader, Vitus Azeem is calling for multiple state agencies’ investigations into the large sums of monies former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah stashed in her home.
According to Mr. Azeem, the matter should not be left to only the Office of the Special Prosecutor, who has already launched a probe into it.
He said the action of the former minister has many legal ramifications hence, other state agencies including the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative (CHRAJ) must intervene in the investigation to fully unravel the matter.
“We need more than one institution to investigate this matter. The Office of Special Prosecutor maybe looking at the source of funds but the financial intelligence centre probably also needs to look at any suspicious transactions involving foreign exchange and CHRAJ needs to look at assets declaration. What she declared as a minister and today, what she has acquired since then whether it includes these assets that have been stolen”.
He added, “Even GRA. Because I have heard somewhere that her husband is a businessman. So if the husband is a businessman and has made this money, has the business got the file with the GRA? Has the business been paying taxes? So it’s a 3 or 4 prompt investigation that is necessary because one institution is probably going to take just one aspect of it”.
The anti-Corruption crusader said this while reacting to the arrest of Ms. Cecilia Dapaah by the OSP.
Ms. Dapaah, who came under fire following revelation that she stashed millions of cash in her home and subsequently resigned, was on Monday, July 24, 2023 arrested by the OSP to assist with investigation into the source of the monies.
Her official and private residences were also searched as part of the investigation.
While commending the move, Mr. Azeem is apprehensive of the investigation leading to anything meaningful since the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appeared to have already cleared the former minister even before a probe could be launched into the matter.
