The Chronicle has sighted the letters the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) wrote to the banks of the former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, to freeze her accounts.
In the two letters dated July 26, 2023, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, told Prudential Bank Limited and Societte Generale Ghana, bankers of the former ministers, to immediately freeze her accounts until further notice.
He drew authority from Section 38 of the act that established his office to direct the freezing of the seven accounts held in those two banks.
The letter addressed to the Managing Director of the Prudential Bank Limited, Bernard Appiah Gyebi read;
Please take notice that in accordance with section 38 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) I hereby and with immediate effect direct the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Abena Dapaah with your bank pending investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of your customer. This order takes immediate effect and shall apply to any account and other financial assets held by the within-named person with any branch of your bank, including Current Accounts 009092460014; 0090924640058; 009092460016; 0090924640047 held at your Ring Road Central branch.
Until this order is revoked or lapses, your bank shall not allow any transaction on the accounts and investments without the written authority of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, except the following.
i. deposits/credits into the accounts and investments including but not limited to cash, transfers from other sources;
ii. interest (if any);
iii. deposits/credit resulting from the encashment of financial instruments such as treasury bills, bonds, shares, bills of exchange, etc.; and
iv. additions to financial assets from other sources.
Further, in pursuance of the investigations, you are required to cooperate and to furnish the Office with the balances in each of the accounts and investments as of 26 July 2023. You are required to comply by close of business on 9 August 2023. You will be advised when this order lapses or is revoked.
On July 26, 2023, the Special Prosecutor wrote a letter to the Managing Director of Societte Generale Ghana, Hakim Ouzzani, directing the bank to freeze the accounts of Cecilia Dapaah.
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Please take notice that in accordance with section 38 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) I hereby and with immediate effect direct the freezing of the bank accounts and investments of Cecilia Abena Dapaah with your bank pending investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of your customer. This order takes immediate effect and shall apply to any account and other financial assets held by the within-named person with any branch of your bank, including 60001774139 held at your Airport City branch :and 01101001679 and 01043000014 held at your Accra Main branch.
Until this order is revoked or lapses, your bank shall not allow any transaction on the accounts and investments without the written authority of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, except the following:
i. deposits/credits into the accounts and investments including but not limited to cash, transfers from other sources;
ii. interest (if any);
deposits/ credit resulting from the encashment of financial instruments such as treasury bills, bonds, shares, bills of exchange, etc.; and
iii. additions to financial assets from other sources.
Further, in pursuance of the investigations, you are required to cooperate and to furnish the Office with the balances in each of the accounts and investments as of26 July 2023. You are required to comply by close of business on 9 August 2023. You will be advised when this order lapses or is revoked.
Meanwhile, the OSP is in court for approval to continue to freeze those accounts. The High Court in Accra is to be moved next Thursday, August 17, 2023.
