Two more persons have been arrested by the police in Tamale in connection with the stealing of various sums of monies from the home of Abelemkpe home of the former Minister for Sanitation. Madam Cecilia Dapaah.
Five persons including the House help of the then minister, Patience Botwe, were previously arraigned on 10 counts comprising of a conspiracy, six counts of stealing and three counts of dishonestly receiving.
They are Patience Botwe, 18, hairdresser, Sarah Agyei, 30, unemployed, Benjamin Sowah, 29, plumber, Kweku Botwe, 65, trader and Malik Dauda,34, unemployed.
They are said to have stolen $1 million dollars, £300, 000 euros and other properties including Kente and others.
Apart form Serah Agyei, the second accused who is a lactating mother who is on bail, the latest prayer for the remaining four to be admitted to bail was rejected.
In court on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, when they were expected to appear, the accused persons were absent including the new arrests.
The prosecutor, DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye, told the Circuit Court that two more persons have since been arrested by the investigators in Tamale.
He said it is the investigators who were to bring the accused persons to court but because of their investigation in Tamale explained why the accused were not brought.
He also told the court that, the Attorney General’s office has served notice to takeover the case.
A defence lawyer, Augustines Gyemfi prayed the court for the accused persons on remand to be admitted to bail.
But the request was turned down by the court even though Sarah Agyei, the second accused, who is a lactating mother had earlier been granted bail.
Her Honour, Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah has since ordered the prosecution to ensure that the accused persons are brought to the court at the next court date.
The case has since been adjourned August 8,2023.
Brief facts
1. The Complainants are Daniel Osei Kuffour and his wife Cecilia Abena Dapaah (Minister for Sanitation) who resides at Abelemkpe, Accra.
2. First accused (A1) Patience Botwe @ Maabena was a house help to the complainants.
3. Second accused (A2) Sarah Agyei is unemployed a former house help to the complainants.
4. Third accused (A3) Benjamin Sowah is a boyfriend to A1.
5. Fourth accused (A4) Kwaku Botwe is A1’s father.
6. Fifth accused (A5) Malik Dauda is A1’s former boyfriend.
Plot
7. Sometime in June 2023, the complainants reported a theft of cash and some personal effects as indicated on the face of the charge sheet.
8. Prior to that A1 who was a house help to the complainants was caught to have opened and entered the bedroom of the complainants with a duplicate key.
9. Upon intelligence, A1 and A3 were arrested at their hide out in Tamale in the Northern Region.
10. A search conducted in their room revealed $40,000 USD and GH¢72,619.70.
11. Police investigation revealed that, sometime in October 2022, complainant Daniel Osei Kuffour returned from town to observe that their bedroom which was locked had been opened and heard an unusual noise therein.
12. He entered the room and found A1 hiding behind the door therein.
13. Subsequently, the complainants detected theft of properties indicated on the face of the charge sheet.
14. Further investigations revealed that A1 used part of the stolen money to buy a three-bedroom house at Amrahia at a cost of Seventy Thousand Dollars ($70,000) UDS.
14. The following brand-new items which A1 used some of the stolen money to buy were also retrieved from the said house:
15. One double decker refrigerator, one television set, one washing machine, one chest freezer, one gas cooker, one water dispenser and related items.
16. A1 and A3 also indicated that they used some of the stolen money to buy Hyundai Elantra with registration number GE 9771-23 at a cost of Eighty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢80,000.00).
17. A1 also gave One Hundred and Eighty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢180,000.00) to A3 who used same to purchase an unregistered Honda Civic car with DV plate number 4903-23 which same have been retrieved.
18. Investigation also disclosed that A1 and A3 used parts of the stolen money to rent a three-bed room apartment at Tamale at a total cost of One Hundred and Five Thousand Six Hundred Cedis (GH¢105,600.00) for a period of two years.
19. Additionally, A1 and A3 used part of the stolen money to rent a store room at Tamale at a total cost of One Hundred Twenty Thousand Ghana Cedis (120,000.00).
20. A1 admitted the offence and mentioned A2 as her accomplice to the effect that, when they were working in the complainants’ house, she used to keep watch of the main gate for A2 to go into the complainants’ room to steal their money after which they share the spoil.
21. A2 was subsequently arrested from her hideout in Budumburam a suburb of Kasoa for investigation. Investigation further disclosed that A2 used part of the stolen money to build a three bedroom self-contain house at Budumburam.
22. A1 also gave Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢50,000.00) out of the stolen money to A4, who admitted the preceding fact during interrogation.
24. A2 also gave One Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢100,000.00) out of the stolen money to A5 who also admitted same.
25. Case is still under investigation.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Murtala Inusah
