The lead suspect in the case in which monies and items worth millions of cedis were allegedly stolen from the residence of former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, and her husband, Daniel Osei Kuffour, has been denied bail by an Accra circuit court.
This was after records revealed that Patience Botwe had previously jumped bail at a juvenile court where she had previously been arraigned on similar charges.
Bail
While seeking bail at the circuit court, lawyers for Botwe, led by Nana Addo Asrifi, argued that his client was not a flight risk and would avail herself for trial when granted bail.
Counsel further noted that even at the juvenile court where she was previously facing similar charges, her client was granted bail.
Subsequently, the Circuit Court Judge, Afia Owusuaa Appiah, ordered the juvenile court to make available records of proceedings on Botwe.
In court yesterday, the record of proceedings from the juvenile court indicated that the accused flouted the juvenile court bail conditions and was not attending court.
It also indicated that even though a bench warrant was issued for her arrest, it was not executed until the case was struck out.
“Having flouted the juvenile court’s bail orders and not attending court, this court (circuit court) is not inclined to grant her bail,” Ms Appiah said when she refused to grant the accused bail.
Orders
The court subsequently ordered the prosecution to conclude their investigations by the next adjourned date for the plea of the accused persons to be taken.
This was after the prosecution led by an Assistant State Attorney, Akosua Agyaponmaa Agyemang, had prayed for an adjournment to study the voluminous docket submit to them by investigators.
The case has been adjourned to October 17, 2023, Seven persons – Patience Botwe, 18, hairdresser, Sarah Agyei, 30, unemployed, Benjamin Sowah, 29, plumber, Malik Dauda,34, unemployed, Christiana Achab, a trader, Job Pomary, a mechanic, and Yahaya Sumaila, excavator operator, have been slapped with 14 counts of conspiracy, five counts of conspiracy and eight counts of dishonestly receiving.
Their pleas are yet to be taken.
Sarah Agyei, Christiana Achab, Job Pomary and Yahaya Sumaila have all been granted bail.
But they are still in lawful custody as they are yet to meet their bail conditions.