Records of the juvenile court proceedings revealed that Patient Botwe, the youngest domestic worker of Cecilia Abena Dapaah, former Minister for Water and Sanitation, once jumped bail.
The juvenile court records, which were furnished to the Accra Circuit Court on its orders, indicated that though Patience was granted bail, she was not attending court and not even present when the case was struck out.
On this basis, Mrs. Afia Owusua-Appiah declined the bail application filed by Patience, after perusal of the juvenile court proceedings.
As a result, 18-year-old Patience will remain on remand.
Meanwhile, the other six accused persons standing trial with Patience have been granted bail, but none of them have been able to execute it.
Counsel for the accused persons have made applications for variation of the bail conditions, but were denied by the court.
However, the counsels, during yesterday’s hearing, blamed the police for complicating the bail process. The allegation has been vehemently denied by the police.
Akosua Agyapoma Agyeman, State Attorney, also informed the court that the Attorney-General’s office had received investigation documents from the police, hence, required some time to study it.
The counsels, on the other hand, objected to the application and argued that it had been the trajectory of the prosecution, by which the liberties of the accused were being trembled upon.
It was their case that the case needed to be tried expeditiously by law, adding that there was the likelihood that the prosecution would amend the charge sheet once again.
Mrs. Owusua-Appiah, therefore, ordered the prosecution to put their house in order before or on the next adjourned date, October 17, 2023.
Background
The accused persons are Patience, first accused (A1), Sarah Agyei (A2), Benjamin Sowa (A3), Malik Dauda (A4), Christiana Achab (A5), Job Pomary (A6), Yahaya Sumaila (A7) and Franklin Sarakpo (A8) who is at large.
Patience (hairdresser) and Sarah (unemployed) were domestic workers of the former Minister and have been accused of conspiracy to commit a crime, stealing US$800,000.00, US$200,000.00 and €300,000.00 – all properties of the former Minister.
Patience is also said to have stolen some personal effects of Madam Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Odei Kuffour.
Benjamin Sowa (Plumber) is charged with dishonestly receiving GH¢180,000.00 from his girlfriend, Patience, although the money is a property of Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
Malik Dauda (unemployed) also dishonestly received GH¢100,000.00 from Sarah through Patience, his ex-girlfriend, and another GH¢5,000.00 from the same person.
The couple among the accused persons, Christina (trader) and Job (mechanic), dishonestly received GH¢30,000.00, while Christiana, again with Yahaya, dishonestly received GH¢850,000.00.
