The Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan, has said that Former Sanitation and Water Resource Minister, Cecilia Dapaah’s wealth was ill-gotten.
The MP for cape coast south argued that if the minister had procured the funds legitimately, she would have kept the money at the bank instead of her residence.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 on the Key Point Show on Saturday, August 5, 2023, Ricketts-Hagan expressed his worry over the source of funds which are currently under investigation and believes it was acquired illegally.
“Look, this money did not come about in a legitimate way because first and foremost, such money should be in the bank. The reason I'm saying what I'm saying is that the $800,00, just as they belong to the brother, the brother per their ages was the money with a lady.
“Or it was after the brother had passed on that she went to collect the money from the brother's house. I presume the brother did not have any family of his own or was it, let's say, an insurance payment or some payment that she went and collect? Even if it was paid to her, it will go into an account. So I just don't understand. She's not a market woman,” he said.
The MP added that "My issue is that why was such an amount sitting with a government appointee or a minister of state? She knows the implication and for her to go to court on that matter even makes me probably understand why she wouldn't go to the bank.”
Ricketts-Hagan urged public officers to stop defending Cecilia Dapaah over the source of the missing funds because it is indefensible.
He also added until findings prove otherwise, he believes the funds were acquired illegitimately.
“I mean, if she thought about the whole thing properly it just doesn't make sense and we should stop this kind of spinning and supporting things that are not defensible. We can't defend it.
“This money is an ill-gotten wealth and that's why it didn't get to the bank. I'm just sharing my opinion on the matter. If the investigation comes and proves otherwise, we will go with that. But the fact of the matter is that we are having challenges with the economy including the exchange rate,” the MP for Cape Coast South added.
On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, two suspects were arrested in the ongoing probe into the missing funds at the residence of the former minister.
This was made known by the police special prosecutor, DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye, when the case was called in court.
The prosecutor noted that the accused persons could not present themselves in court due to an investigation that is underway in Tamale.
So far, seven persons have been arrested and accused but one of them, Sarah Agyei, who has been granted bail is yet to satisfy the bail conditions.
The remaining six have been remanded into police custody while investigations are ongoing.
BS/DA
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Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan