The Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, had several valuables taken from their Abelemkpe home, including large sums of money and jewelry, according to a report presented to an Accra Circuit Court. Among these hefty sum stolen from the sanitation minister’s home included $1m, €300k and millions of cedis according to reports.
According to the Chronicle Newspaper, two househelps, identified as 18-year-old Patience Botwe and 30-year-old Sarah Agyei, have been charged with theft and are currently in court.
One count of conspiracy to commit a crime and five charges of theft totaling $1 million, €300,000, and millions of Ghana Cedis stand against the defendants.
The prosecution claims that the thefts occurred between July and October of last year.
During the same time period, they allegedly stole various items of clothing, handbags, perfumes, and jewelry from Cecilia Dapaah, with a total worth of GH95,000, according to the same report.
Patience is also accused of stealing the husband of the Sanitation Minister’s property, consisting of six pieces of Kente cloth costing GH90,000 and six sets of men’s clothing totaling US$3,000.
Three more people have been arrested and charged in relation to the thefts.
Benjamin, a 29-year-old plumber, and Kweku Botwe, a 65-year-old businessman, both stand accused of obtaining GH50,000 and GH180,000 fraudulently.
Malik Dauda, 23, who is currently unemployed, is also accused of receiving GHC1 million dishonestly.
On Thursday, July 20, all five defendants made appearances before the Circuit Court presided over by Judge Susana Ekuful.
Their appeals, however, have thus far not been taken.
Sarah, one of the defendants, was granted bail in the amount of GH1 million, with two sureties who must deposit their Ghana cards with the court’s registrar because of her situation as a breastfeeding mother.
As Judge Susana Ekuful was filling in for another judge, she made it clear that the real judge has final say over the bail conditions.
The remaining defendants, however, have been remanded into proper custody.
In June of this year, the alleged crimes were reported to the police by the complainants when they noticed missing money and other valuables.
Patience was caught red-handed after she used a fake key to enter the couple’s room. Mr. Kuffour caught her when he got home and saw that the door was unlocked and heard noises coming from within.
The investigation led to the conclusion that Patience and her friends were in possession of some of the stolen goods and the money.
Allegedly, the accused rented a three-bedroom apartment and a store in Tamale, bought vehicles, and paid for other personal costs using the stolen money.
While investigations are ongoing, the court has adjourned the case until August 2, 2023.
This news has got a whole bit of people talking and wondering wondering how the sanitation minister and her husband was able to amass such wealth in their home for their househelps to notice and steal. This update is made available per the reports circulating online and in the newspaper. More updates will be posted on this story.
