We’ve been saving money for the past 20 years — Cecilia Dapaah's husband testifies in court

Cecilia Dapaah

Daniel Osei Kuffuor, husband of former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, has revealed in court that the money allegedly stolen by their housemaids had been stored in their storeroom for over 20 years.

Testifying as the first prosecution witness, Mr. Kuffuor stated that the money did not solely belong to him and his wife but also included funds from other family members, including those of his wife's family.

Details of the stolen money
Under cross-examination by Agyei’s counsel, Mr. Kuffuor disclosed that they had been depositing money in the storeroom for two decades. He alleged that Sowah provided Botwe with the main house keys, allowing her to create duplicates. “At one of the confrontations where we were present, Botwe stated that the method adopted was that Agyei would be in the room operating and Botwe would be at the gate watching out,” he told the court.

Mr. Kuffuor detailed the theft, mentioning the loss of $210,000 and $200,000 from their storeroom. Additionally, £300,000 and GH¢300,000 intended for Cecilia Dapaah's late mother’s funeral were also taken.

“Subsequently, my wife and I found out that some of our valuables as well as huge sums of money had been stolen from the storeroom,” he stated.

“This included an amount of 210,000 US Dollars which belonged to my wife’s deceased brother, Nana Akwasi Essan II alias Charles Dapaah,” he added.

He further mentioned the theft of $200,000 belonging to his niece and client, Dorcas Wiredua, and “another GH¢50,000 belonging to my wife was also stolen.”

The trial, presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons, has been adjourned to Wednesday, May 20, for further cross-examination.

Accused individuals
Seven individuals, including former househelps Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei, along with Benjamin Sowah, Malik Dauda, Christiana Achab, Job Pomary, and Yahaya Sumaila, face multiple charges in the High Court in Accra. These charges include conspiracy, theft, dishonest receipt, and money laundering. Despite pleading not guilty, they have been granted bail of GH¢5,250,000 each with two sureties, which they have not been able to meet.