Private Legal Practitioner Martin Kpebu has dismissed the advice of Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, to drop the money laundering investigation into former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah.
Kpebu has called it “false and not grounded in law.”
The renowned lawyer in an interview with Citi FM argued that the AG’s advice lacked a legal basis and is incorrect in requiring a predicate offence for prosecution against Dapaah.
He rejected the AG’s guidance and pushed for the investigation to continue.
The Attorney General’s office, on May 1, recommended the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) not to pursue money laundering investigations against Dapaah.
This recommendation follows the conclusion of the Special Prosecutor’s office that the discovery of over 1 million dollars in Dapaah’s residence was outside its jurisdiction, instead suggesting money laundering inquiries.
Kpebu argued that Dapaah’s inability to account for her wealth has warranted the AG’s intervention.
He also urged the AG to retract its communication to EOCO.
“The letter is a huge mistake, a faux pas, that was a wrong step because the letter is not grounded in law. The AG is insisting that you need a predicate offence before you can prosecute someone for money laundering, but that is not correct, it’s false, we have changed the law. There’s a new law, for us in Ghana, that says no need for predicate offence.
“Cecilia Dapaah cannot explain her source of money, if you take her to court, she’s guilty. The Attorney General’s letter is so bad that it has to be withdrawn. The AG has to be humble, we all don’t know it all, if the AG has gotten it wrong, he should just accept his mistake. He cannot win every case,” he told host Selorm Adonoo.
The Attorney General’s review also revealed that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) did not uncover any evidence of corruption by Dapaah.
Nevertheless, the Attorney General maintains that money laundering charges are contingent upon profits derived from illegal activities, implying that Dapaah’s wealth remains suspect despite the OSP’s findings.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
