In a gripping courtroom revelation, Cecilia Dapaah, Ghana’s former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, detailed the extent of a theft allegedly perpetrated by her former househelps, shedding light on a scandal that has gripped the nation since it first emerged in 2023. Testifying at the Accra High Court on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, Dapaah disclosed that beyond the staggering cash sums stolen from her home, the accused also made off with jewelry valued at $53,000.
Dapaah, who served under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, recounted how the househelps pilfered $410,000, €300,000, and GHS350,000 in cash from her storage room. The theft, she claimed, occurred over a period spanning July to October 2022. In addition to the cash and jewelry, the former minister accused one of the perpetrators of stealing Kente cloth worth GHS90,000 and six sets of men’s suits valued at $3,000, items belonging to her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour.
The two primary suspects, Patience Botwe, 18, and Sarah Agyei, 30—both former domestic workers in Dapaah’s household—face charges of theft and conspiracy, alongside additional counts related to the pilfering of these substantial assets. Dapaah emphasized the personal toll of the loss, noting that the stolen items represented three decades of hard-earned accumulation.
The case first sparked outrage in 2023 when reports surfaced of the massive cash reserves kept in Dapaah’s home, prompting widespread speculation and criticism about the source of such wealth. The ensuing public backlash led to her resignation as minister amid scrutiny from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), though no corruption charges were ultimately filed against her. Now, as the trial progresses, Dapaah has shifted from defendant in the court of public opinion to a key witness against her former employees.
In her testimony, Dapaah expressed distress over the betrayal, underscoring the sentimental and material value of the stolen goods. The accused, meanwhile, face a potential prison sentence if convicted, with the prosecution building a case around the systematic nature of the thefts from the Dapaah residence in Abelemkpe, Accra.
The courtroom drama has reignited debates in Ghana about wealth, accountability, and the vulnerabilities of prominent figures. As the trial unfolds, it remains a focal point of national interest, with many awaiting further revelations and the final judgment on the fate of Botwe, Agyei, and their alleged accomplices.