LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A former Ghanaian Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has been arrested for suspected corruption, after her houseworkers allegedly stole more than $1 million in cash from her home.
Dapaah, who resigned over the weekend, denied any crimes, as the case has drawn criticism from Ghana’s opposition, which questioned why a minister had such large amounts of cash in her house.
According to Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, Dapaah was placed under arrest earlier today “in respect of suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding large amounts of money.”
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The arrest is following President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Government deals with the country’s worst economic crisis in years, which has pushed Ghana to seek a $3 billion loan from the IMF.
In her statement on 22 July, Dapaah handed in her resignation, saying she did not want to be a “hindrance” to the Government, but rejected reports of such large amounts of cash at the family home.
“I am resigning therefore because I do not want this matter to become a preoccupation of Government and a hindrance to the work of Government,” Dapaah said.
According to court documents, the suspect is facing charges of stealing $1 million, 300,000 euros and millions of local Ghanaian cedis, as well as clothing from a bedroom last year.
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Akufo-Addo on 23 July, accepted the resignation and applauded the former minister for her loyalty and “devotion”, his spokesman said.
But former Ghanaian leader John Dramani Mahama, who is the opposition NDC candidate for the 2024 election, described the incident as scandalous.
“$1m + €300k and millions of GHS in a Ghanaian Minister’s home? Scandalous!! Even if genuinely acquired, why keep millions of hard currencies at home?.”
“Will Akufo-Addo ever set a good example for public office holders in his administration?,” He wrote on his Twitter account.