Alleged mastermind of the Cecilia Dapaah theft case jumped bail, according to the juvenile court

An Accra Circuit Court has denied bail to the alleged mastermind in the theft case involving former Sanitation and Water Resource Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

In Juvenile Court “C,” Accra, Patience Botwe, the 18-year-old former housekeeper of the ex-Minister, was found to have jumped bail after the court had approved the release, according to the court.

This court is reluctant to release the first accused person, Patience Botwe, on bail because Juvenile Court C proceedings revealed that she had violated the court’s bail terms and a bench warrant had been issued for her arrest. Dapaah

Despite the bench warrant, the accused person was not detained even after the case was dismissed in March of this year. The court, presided over by Mrs. Afia Owusua Appiah, declared that the first accused person’s request for bail was denied.

The court’s decision was made after the defense attorney for the defendant, Nana Addo Asrifi, asked the court to give Patience bail in the juvenile court.

The Circuit Court was forced to order its registrar to arrange hearings at the Juvenile Court to verify his assertions regarding his client’s bail as a result of this. Dapaah

The prosecution has also been ordered by the court to wrap up its inquiries so that the next adjourned date can hear the pleas of the accused.

In order to expedite the accused’s release on bail, it also instructed the police to look into the assets of the sureties they had provided.

The prosecution informed the court that they had received a large number of documents from the police and that they would want to review them before taking any further action. The prosecution was led by Akosua Agyepomaa, Assistant State Attorney (ASA).

The police have complied with requests to look into certain areas of the case, according to the ASA, and have produced the aforementioned extensive papers as a result. Dapaah

Additionally, the Attorney General was working on the case docket, she added. Some attorneys were not pleased with the delays the prosecution was causing by constantly requesting adjournments.

Two of the accused were defended by Mr. J. K. Ntoni, who argued that their freedom was in jeopardy and questioned the prosecution’s continual requests for adjournment to the prejudice of the accused.

Earlier, defense attorneys complained about the difficulty their clients were having following their bail conditions.

They had been visiting the police station frequently in an effort to carry out the bail, according to Mr. Raymond Felli, who was accompanied by Mr. Yaw Dankwah. He continued, “They have been asking us to go and come back.”

Job Pomary, Malik Dauda, and nursing mothers Sarah Agyei and Christiana Achab are all out on bail.

Benjamin Sowa, Yahaya Sumaila, and Patience Botwe have not been admitted to bail. Franklin Sarakpo reportedly isn’t in custody.

Eleven counts of theft from the former minister’s home are purportedly being brought against each of the suspects.

Six counts of theft and five counts of receiving something dishonestly are included in the charges.

Earlier, the prosecution claimed that the fact sheets and charge sheets had been changed. The prosecution was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye. The court has since released Patience Botwe’s father, Kwaku Botwe, also known as Maabena. Dapaah

According to the prosecution, Franklin Sarakpo, another accused, is still at large.

According to the document, Mr. Daniel Osei Kufour and his wife, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who resided in Abelemkpe, Accra, were the complainants in the case.

According to the prosecution, the complainants’ housekeeper, Patience Botwe, was the first defendant, and Sarah Agyei, the second defendant, was both unemployed and a previous housekeeper for the couple.

Benjamin Sowah, the third defendant, was the lover of Patience Botwe. Malik Dauda, the fourth defendant, was the first defendant’s ex-boyfriend. Christiana Achab, a trader, is the fifth defendant.

Job Pomary, the fifth accuser’s husband, was named as the sixth defendant in court.

Franklin Sarakpo, the eighth accused, is the son of the fifth accused, who is wanted for questioning. Yahaya Sumaila, the seventh accused, is an excavator operator who resides in Sagnarigu, Tamale Metropolis. Dapaah

According to the prosecution, the complainants reported the theft of their cash and personal belongings in June 2023, and the police immediately started an investigation.

According to the report, police investigations resulted in the first and third accused being apprehended at their hiding places in Tamale, in the Northern Region.

The accused’s rooms were searched, and the prosecution said that GHC 7,619.70 and $40,000 were found there.

The prosecution claimed further research revealed that Mr. Kufour realized their bedroom had been opened and heard an odd noise in the home when he returned from town in October of last year.

The first defendant was hiding behind the storeroom door with duplicate keys to the master bedroom, the prosecutor claimed, when Mr. Kufuor entered the room. Dapaah

The complainants reportedly saw money and other personal items being stolen from the room, according to the court.

According to the prosecution, the first defendant admitted to the police during questioning that she handed the fifth defendant $70,000 of the stolen funds to purchase a three-bedroom home in Amrahia for her as well as several brand-new furnishings that were found in the home. Dapaah

It has been postponed until October 18, 2023.

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