In the ongoing legal saga surrounding the theft of $1 million and 300,000 euros from the residence of former Sanitation Minister Madam Cecilia Dapaah, significant developments have unfolded at the Circuit Court in Accra.
Lawyers representing 18-year-old Patience Botwe, believed to be the mastermind of the theft, have formally filed a bail application for their client. However, this move has been met with opposition from the prosecution.
In a recent court session presided over by Her Honour Afia Owusuaa Appiah on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, Benjamin Sowah, the boyfriend of Patience Botwe, saw his bail application denied. The court cited Sowah’s role in the alleged theft case and the circumstances of his arrest in Tamale as reasons for refusing bail at this stage of the proceedings.
On the other hand, Yahaya Sumaila, an excavator operator and the seventh accused person in the case, successfully obtained bail, with no objection from the prosecution. The court granted Sumaila bail in the amount of GHc300,000, with two sureties to be justified and residents within the jurisdiction. Sumaila was also required to deposit his passport with the court’s registry and report to the police once every two weeks.
The Assistant State Attorney sought a two-week adjournment, explaining that investigators needed more time to conclude their work. The delay in concluding the investigations was attributed to directions provided to the investigators based on advice from the Attorney General’s office regarding the case docket. DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye, the police prosecutor, added that investigators were currently in Kumasi conducting further inquiries.
The court emphasized the need for the prosecution to expedite investigations to ensure a prompt trial. It also directed the prosecution to file their disclosures by the next court date. However, the legal teams involved in the case pressed for the disclosures to be filed before the next court session.
As of now, four out of the seven accused persons have been granted bail, while the remaining three, Job Pomary, Sarah Agyei, and Christina Achab, including two lactating mothers, remain in custody, unable to meet their respective bail conditions.
The case is scheduled to resume on September 19, 2023. The accused persons, facing a total of 14 counts, including conspiracy and dishonestly receiving charges, have not yet entered their pleas as investigations continue.
