President appoints Sanitation Minister, 2 others - Police refer househelps theft docket to A-G
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has appointed the Minister of State at the Presidency, Freda Prempeh, as the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources.
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Between 2017 and 2020, she was the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing.
Also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tano North in the Ashanti Region, Ms Prempeh takes over from Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who resigned from her position on Saturday, July 22, 2023.
The resignation was accepted by the President the same day.
Other appointments
President Akufo-Addo, in consultation with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, and Roads and Highways, has also appointed the Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways and MP for Afigya Sekyere East, Mavis Nkansah Boadu, as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
The President has also moved the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and MP for Tatale/Sanguli, Thomas Mbomba, to the position of Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways.
A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, said the appointments took immediate effect.
Docket referred
Meanwhile, the police have forwarded the docket of the theft case involving two house helps of former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice for review and advice.
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The two househelps who worked for Ms Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei-Kuffour, are facing charges at an Accra Circuit Court, for allegedly stealing moneys and items worth millions of cedis from the couple's residence at Abelemkpe in Accra.
The accused, 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing.
According to police sources, some of the stolen items have been recovered.
The househelps allegedly stole $1 million, €300,000 and an unspecified sum of Ghana cedis from the couple.
They are also alleged to have stolen personal effects belonging to Ms Dapaah, including assorted clothes valued at GH¢95,000, handbags, perfumes, and jewellery worth $95,000.
Additionally, Miss Botwe is accused of stealing six pieces of kente cloth worth GH¢90,000 and six sets of men's suits valued at $3,000, which belong to the ex-minister's husband.
Background
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is investigating Ms Dapaah over suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding large sums of money and other valuable items stolen from her residence.
The former minister had $1 million, €300,000, a large sum of Ghana cedis and other valuable items allegedly stolen from her house by her househelps.
Operatives of the OSP stormed the home of the former minister as part of the investigative process.
Context
Two househelps of Ms Dapaah and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, are facing charges at an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing moneys and items worth millions of cedis from the couple's residence at Abelemkpe in Accra.
The accused individuals, 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and five counts of stealing.
The alleged thefts occurred between July and October 2022.
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Three other individuals, identified as Miss Botwe's current and former boyfriends, and her father, are also facing charges for allegedly being involved in the crime.
They have been respectively charged with dishonestly receiving GH¢1 million, GH¢180,000, and GH¢50,000.
According to court proceedings, the stolen moneys and items belonged to Ms Dapaah and her husband, and were taken from their bedroom in their residence.
The accused were put before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Susana Ekuful, on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
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Their pleas are yet to be taken.
The court granted bail to Ms Agyei in the sum of GH¢1 million with two sureties who were required to deposit their Ghana Cards with the court's registrar.
The bail conditions are, however, subject to review by the substantive judge, as Ms Ekuful was only serving as a relief judge.
Miss Botwe, along with her alleged boyfriends and father, on the other hand, were remanded in lawful custody.
Ms Dapaah and her husband reported the theft case to the police in June 2023 after discovering that the cash and personal effects were missing.
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Miss Botwe was allegedly caught red-handed entering the couple's room with a duplicate key, leading to her arrest.
Further investigations revealed that Miss Botwe, with the help of her alleged accomplice, Ms Agyei, had allegedly hidden the stolen money and used it to purchase properties and expensive items.