EOCO sets records straight on Cecilia Dapaah’s case

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has denied reports that it did not apply for the findings of the “transboundary investigations” conducted by the OSP and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

According to the Executive Director of EOCO, COP Tiwaa Addo Danquah, her outfit requested the report as far back as 1st February, 2024.

According to EOCO, the OSP failed to uphold its commitment to deliver the report to them after discussions with OSP officials.

“Attention has been drawn to a statement by one Samuel Appiah Darko, described as the Director of Strategy, Research and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), to the effect that EOCO did not request the findings of the “transboundary investigations” conducted by the OSP and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and which formed the basis for the suspicion of the offence of money-laundering allegedly committed by Ms. Cecilia Dapaah”, EOCO noted in a statement issued on Tuesday May 7, 2024.

Read the EOCO statement in full:

RE: REFERRAL BY THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO THE ECONOMIC AND ORGANISED CRIME FOR INVESTIGATIONS INTO MONEY LAUNDERING AGAINST MS. CECILIA DAPAAH

1. The attention of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has been drawn to a statement by one Samuel Appiah Darko, described as the Director of Strategy, Research and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), widely published in the mass media, to the effect that EOCO did not request the findings of the “transboundary investigations” conducted by the OSP and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and which formed the basis for the suspicion of the offence of money-laundering allegedly committed by Ms. Cecilia Dapaah.
2. In view of the intense public interest generated by the instant matter, and tocorrect the undue misrepresentation of facts, EOCO would like to set the records straight. Following receipt of the “referral” by the OSPon 25th January, 2024, EOCO by a letter dated 1st February, 2024 signed by the Deputy Executive Director (Operations), Abdulai Bashiru Dapilah, requested the Special Prosecutor for “a copy of the findings on the case to facilitate” EOCO’s investigations.
3. EOCO’s letter of 1st February, 2024 was received at the Front Desk of the Office of the Special Prosecutor by a Field Desk Officer, Solomon Tetteh, who duly signed for the letter at 9.52 a.m. on 2nd February, 2024. The Deputy Executive-Director of EOCO, Bashiru Dapilah followed up by sending copies of the letter to Mr. Basintale, the Director of …. at the OSP. This was duly received by the said Basintale.

To date, EOCO has not received any information from the OSP.

4. EOCO deems it pertinent to indicate that it is aware of a Press Release issued by the OSP dated the same day that the OSP referred the investigations to EOCO – 25th January, 2024, in which the OSP stated that “after nearly seven months of extensive investigations by the OSP and a parallel inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) of the United States, no direct and immediate evidence of corruption has been found in the seized funds and frozen bank accounts linked to Ms. Dapaah and her associates.”
5. EOCO further noted that the OSP had in its letter referring the docket to EOCO stated, that, “in October, 2023, the investigation became transboundary with the involvement of the “Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) of the United States in respect of parts of the cash sums that were alleged to have been transported into the jurisdiction from the United States. After seven (7) months of extensive investigation and four (4) months of collaborative investigation, it seems to the OSP that the case is largely in the province of suspected money laundering and structuring”.
6. The foregoing made it necessary for EOCO to seek the advice of the Attorney-General on the matter as, in view of the clear indication by the OSP that the office had foundno direct and immediate evidence of corruption in the seized funds and frozen bank accounts linked to the former Minister, it was difficult to ascertain the offence on which to posit an allegation of money-laundering.
7. Following the review of the docket presented by the OSP and the advice of the Attorney-General, EOCO will return the original docket delivered it to it by the OSP.
8. EOCO hereby assures the general public of its preparedness to uphold the highest investigative standards and to do right to all persons irrespective of political, gender, race, ethnic, social or economic status.