The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has refuted widespread media reports claiming that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) found no evidence of corruption and cleared former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
In a public notice issued on Tuesday, August 19, the OSP described the reports as “false and misleading,” stressing that they were a misrepresentation of its Half-Yearly Report.
According to the OSP, some media outlets inaccurately stated that the FBI had established “no evidence of corruption” or had “cleared” Ms. Dapaah, while others falsely reported that the Bureau had exonerated her.
“These reports are inaccurate and a mischievous misrepresentation of the OSP’s Half-Yearly Report. The findings were the result of investigations conducted by the OSP and a parallel aspect by the FBI at the instance of the OSP,” the statement emphasised.
Clarifying the official position, the OSP explained that its report only noted that “no direct and immediate evidence of corruption was found.”
It added that this was a defined legal threshold and materially different from blanket statements such as “no evidence” or “cleared.”
The statement further disclosed that its probe unearthed strong indications of suspected money laundering and structuring, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The case had initially been referred to EOCO under its previous leadership, which returned the docket without action. However, the OSP confirmed that the docket has now been resubmitted following a request by EOCO’s new leadership.
The anti-graft institution urged the media to uphold accuracy and fairness when reporting on sensitive national matters, underscoring the need for fidelity to official documents “to ensure accurate, fair, and responsible public communication.”
Cecilia Dapaah came under the spotlight in July 2023 after security operatives discovered large sums of foreign and local currencies in her residence, sparking multiple corruption-related investigations.
