Former Minister for Water and Sanitation, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, took the witness stand yesterday in an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons, detailing how her former domestic staff allegedly stole large sums of money and valuable items from her residence at Abelemkpe.
Testifying against her ex-House help, Patience Botwe and others accused in the case, Madam Dapaah swore an oath before reading her witness statement.
She recounted how Patience Botwe, the first accused, allegedly ransacked a storeroom in their home and made away with significant amounts of cash and personal belongings.
The Alleged Theft
According to Madam Dapaah, the stolen items included: $210,000, which was part of US$800,000 belonging to her deceased brother, Nana Akwasi Essan II.
US$200,000 belonging to Dorcas Wiredua, a relative and client of her husband, €300,000 belonging to her husband, GH₵300,000 contributed by her family towards their late mother’s funeral, GH₵50,000 of her personal savings. Jewellery worth US$95,000 accumulated over 35 years.
She explained that Patience Botwe had been introduced to her household by the fourth accused, Malik Dauda, whom she and her husband had known for 20 years.
Initially hired to clean their compound twice a week, Patience Botwe was later dismissed after frequent quarrels with Dauda.
However, in October 2022, while the former minister was in Kumasi for a funeral, her husband caught Botwe inside their storeroom.
She was immediately reported to the Tesano Police Station. Upon returning home on October 10, 2022 Madam Dapaah discovered that their storeroom had been ransacked, with valuables, including money and jewelry missing.
Plea Bargaining and Legal Arguments
During the proceedings, it was revealed that five of the accused persons, including Botwe, were engaged in plea bargaining discussions with the prosecution. However, Madam Dapaah stated that she had not been formally served any plea bargaining documents.
Cross-examining the witness, defense lawyer Adam Abdul Bassit, for Christiana Achab (A5) and Job Primary (A6), questioned Madam Dapaah on the total amount stolen, suggesting she did not know the exact figure.
She denied this, maintaining that her account was accurate.
When asked about two of the accused persons (A5 and A6), Madam Dapaah admitted she had never met them before.
In response, the defense lawyer objected to the charge sheet, arguing that there was no basis for their involvement in the case.
The presiding judge ruled that since disclosures had already been made, cross-examinations should proceed to ensure the case remains on track if plea bargaining discussions fail.
Next Hearing
The case has been adjourned to March 12, 2025 at 9:00 am when further cross-examinations and plea discussions are expected to continue.
This case has drawn significant public attention due to the large sums involved and the high-profile status of the complainant, a former government minister.
The other accused standing trial for conspiracy, stealing and dishonestly receiving with Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei are Benjamin Sowah (A3), Malik Dauda (A4), Christina Achab (A5), Job Primary (A6) and YAHAYA Sumaila (A7).
Cecilia Dapaah’s Witness Statement
My name is Cecilia Abena Dapaah. I live at House Number 4, Manhia Street, at Abelemkpe, in Accra, with my husband.
I know Patience Botwe, alias Maa Abena, the 1st accused person, Sarah Agyei, the 2nd accused person and Malik Dauda the 4th accused person.
I got to know the 1st accused person through the 4th accused person, whom my husband and I have known for about twenty (20) years.
My husband and I lived with the 2nd accused person for over five years as our house help.
During the period the 2nd accused person was staying with us, she got pregnant somewhere in July 2022 and I noticed that she could not bend down to sweep our compound.
I, therefore, asked the 4th accused person to enquire from the 1st accused person, who happens to be the mother of his child, if she was interested in coming to clean the compound, as she was unemployed at the time.
The 1st accused person accepted the offer and we agreed that she would come to the house twice a week to clean the compound, but will not be resident in our house.
Patience Botwe, the 1st accused person worked in my house for about three (3) months, but I sacked her because she and Malik Dauda would quarrel anytime she came to our house, because she went home very late.
I further emphatically warned Patience Botwe, the 1st accused person, never to come back to our house.
In the month of October 2022, I was bereaved and travelled to Kumasi. On 6th October, 2022 while I was still in Kumasi, I received a phone call from my husband that he had caught Patience Botwe, the accused person, in one of the bedrooms at our house, which serves as our storeroom.
My husband and I agreed that he should send her to the Tesano Police Station to lodge a complaint.
My husband later called to inform me that when he returned home from the police station, he noticed that the bedroom, which we used as our storeroom, had been ransacked.
I returned home on 10th October, 2022 and when I entered the storeroom, I noticed that it had indeed been ransacked and some of our belongings and valuable possessions were missing.
I realised that a substantial number of my valuable clothes (sewn and unsewn), kente cloths, dresses, skirt suits, blouses, handbags, lace fabrics and perfumes were all missing.
We also found out that huge sums of money had been stolen from our storeroom. This included an amount of $210,000 which belonged to my deceased brother, Nana Akwasi Essan Il, alias Charles Dapaah.
The $210,000 was part of an amount of $800,000 that my elder brother, Henry Osei Kwabena brought to me upon the instructions of our mother for safe keeping, after Nana Akwasi Essan Il’s demise.
Other monies stolen from our storeroom were: Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000) belonging to Dorcas Wiredua, a client and relative of my husband.
Three Hundred Thousand Euros (€300,000) belonging to my husband. Three Hundred Thousand Cedis (GH¢300,000) being contributions that my siblings and I made towards the then upcoming final funeral rite of our late mother, Nana Ode Nyarko II. Fifty Thousand (GH¢50,000) being my personal money.
After my husband and I noticed our belongings and monies were missing, we were hoping to impress upon the 1st accused to return the stolen items because of the relationship we have with her and Malik Dauda.
However, after some time elapsed, we noticed that the 1st accused person would not return the monies and in addition to that, the police had informed us that their investigations had revealed that our monies had been distributed to different persons, including the accused persons herein.
The police initially arraigned the 1st accused person before court, but we were later informed that she jumped bail.
Somewhere this year, we were informed by the police that the 1st accused person and the 3rd accused person had been arrested at their hideout in Tamale.
I, therefore, had to do stock taking of my missing belongings and realised that my jewellery that I had purchased within a period of thirty-five (35) years, valued at Ninety-Five Thousand United States Dollars (US$95,000USD) were missing.
The total value of my missing jewellery is broken down as follows: Eleven (11) sets of earrings and pendants, which cost Three Thousand Dollars (S3,000 USD) bringing the total value to Thirty-Three Thousand Dollars ($33,000 USD). Four gold bangles which cost Three Thousand Five hundred Dollars (S3,500 USD) each totaling fourteen thousand dollars ($14,000).
Fifteen gold ear ring sets purchased at One Thousand Dollars each totaling Fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).
Diamond set ear rings, pendants and bangle bought at Nine Thousand five Hundred dollars (US$59,500). Twelve chains, which cost Two Thousand dollars (S2000 USD) each totalling Twenty-four Thousand Dollars ($24,000).
Cross-examination
Cross examination by Abdul Baasit Adams, counsel for A5 and A6
- Highest level of education?
- First degree
- Which course?
- What do you do for a living?
- Currently I am retired as Public Servant.
- At the time you reported this matter to the police, were you in active work?
- Initially when I lodged the complaint I was still in active service.
- Can you tell the court the total amount of money that you allege was stolen?
- …
- I put it to you that you don’t know the actual amount of money that you allege was stolen
- My Lady, that is not correct
- The amount involved were in three different currencies: Ghana Cedis, USD and Euros. Is that correct?
- Yes, ‘My Lady
- Can you tell the court how much Ghana cedis?
- GH¢50,000 and GH¢300,000
- Can you do same for dollars?
- US$200,000 and US$210,000
- Can you do same for the Euros?
- €300,000
- Do you know A5. Have you ever met her?
- My Lady, I don’t. I have never met her.
- Do you know A6?
- I don’t.
- I put it to you that both A5 and A6, per your own admission that you have never met them before, have no basis to be in court.
- I’m not legally equipped to answer this question.
Counsel: Since Madam Dapaah has admitted that she has never met A5 and A6, I object to the charge sheet.
Court: Already there have been disclosures and you are aware of the prosecution’s case so it is ripe for plea bargaining. But since the process has not begun, you have to cross examine the witnesses so that in case the plea bargaining doesn’t work, we don’t have to go back calling the witnesses again.
