The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has pushed back strongly against what it calls misleading media reports surrounding the findings of i
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has pushed back strongly against what it calls misleading media reports surrounding the findings of its investigations into former Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the OSP expressed concern that sections of the media had wrongly reported that the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had “cleared” Cecilia Dapaah of corruption.
Some outlets suggested that the FBI had found “no evidence of corruption” or “no direct evidence of corruption,” while others framed the outcome as a total exoneration.
According to the OSP, these claims amount to a “mischievous misrepresentation” of the facts.
OSP’s Clarification
The Special Prosecutor stated that its 2025 half-yearly report (specifically page 9, bullet 2.26) was being misinterpreted.
The report indicated that investigations conducted by the OSP, alongside a parallel aspect carried out by the FBI at the OSP’s request, did not uncover direct and immediate evidence of corruption.
The OSP stressed that this finding is materially different from a blanket claim that there was “no evidence” or that Dapaah had been “cleared.”
Instead, the OSP noted that the investigations revealed strong indications of suspected money laundering and financial structuring, which are criminal offences that fall outside its direct mandate.
Referral to Eoco
Because of these findings, the OSP initially referred the case to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) under its previous leadership.
However, EOCO failed to take action and returned the docket.
Following recent changes in EOCO’s leadership, the OSP has re-submitted the docket, urging EOCO to fully exercise its mandate.
The OSP therefore warned the media to ensure accuracy and fidelity in reporting on sensitive legal matters of high public interest, to prevent misleading the public and undermining ongoing investigations.
Background to the Case
The Cecilia Dapaah scandal first broke in July 2023 after police, probing a theft case involving her house helps, discovered over $1 million and other huge sums in Ghanaian cedis and foreign currency hidden in her Accra residence.
The revelation shocked the nation, raising questions about the source of her wealth and sparking widespread public outrage.
The OSP moved quickly to open a corruption probe, freezing several of Dapaah’s bank accounts and seizing cash from her residence.
The high-profile nature of the case attracted international attention, eventually leading to collaboration with the FBI to track possible foreign financial links.
Legal Battles and Charges
Meanwhile, Cecilia Dapaah has challenged the OSP’s actions in court.
In an affidavit filed at the Human Rights Division of the High Court, she described the repeated seizures of her money and re-freezing of her assets as “unfair, capricious, arbitrary and unconstitutional.”
Her lawyers asked the court to halt the OSP’s investigation until their application for judicial review was determined.
In addition to the corruption-related inquiry, the OSP also charged Dapaah with failing to declare her assets and income, contrary to Section 69(1)(a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The OSP alleges that by October 5, 2023, she willfully refused to file the mandatory forms despite being given notice.
Case Still Ongoing
While recent media headlines have suggested that Cecilia Dapaah has been cleared of wrongdoing, the OSP insists that its findings do not amount to an exoneration. With suspected money laundering aspects still pending at EOCO and asset declaration charges in court, the former minister’s legal troubles are far from over.
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