The Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Justice have recommended that the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) not open a money laundering investigation into the transactions of former Health Minister Cecilia Dapaa.
In response to EOCO’s request for advice on this matter, the Attorney General’s Office stated in a letter dated April 25, 2024, and copied to EOCO, that OSP had not submitted a report on the joint investigation to EOCO. He said it was clear.
Additionally, the agency noted that OSP has not responded to EOCO’s requests for the results of its investigation.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the documents submitted to EOCO include OSP’s letter transmitting this document, a diary of events, statements taken during the investigation, criminal investigations division (CID), criminal investigation division (CID), etc. Only letters written by OSP to other agencies are included. Bank inquiries.
Further analysis of this document by the Attorney General’s Office revealed that OSP found no evidence of corruption or corruption-related crimes against Cecilia Dapar.
The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that the key to advancing a money laundering investigation is the ability to prove that financial benefit was derived from the proceeds of crime resulting from illegal activity.
“Unless criminality is identified in relation to the property recovered from the suspect, there is no basis for OSP to request EOCO to conduct a money laundering investigation.”
The Attorney General also recommended that EOCO not investigate Cecilia Dapaa’s sources of funds, as the CID was tasked with handling that aspect of the case.
“As part of your mission, you may be able to initiate an investigation into the source of the money found in the suspect’s home, but we believe this is necessary because our department had directed the police prior to the OSP inquiry. “We do not believe that there is.”They have already seized in other aspects of the case to investigate the source of large sums of money found in the suspect’s home, OSP marked B1. We know this fact from copies of documentary evidence. Part of the Attorney General’s letter to the CID Director dated July 31, 2023. ”
“In view of the above, OSP documents on this subject are hereby returned.”
The Special Prosecutor’s Office had determined that cases involving more than $1 million found in a former minister’s residence were suspected of money laundering, but did not fall under its mandate, and had made a request to EOCO.
As stated by OSP, this decision follows a months-long joint investigation with agencies such as the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
At this point, it remains unclear how this case of huge national interest will develop.
OSP has already returned money and other property recovered from the suspect during the course of the investigation, and the suspect was released by OSP accordingly.
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