Martin Kpebu assures Ghanaians of justice in Cecilia Dapaah’s case

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has emphasized the importance of naming and shaming individuals involved in corruption cases, stating that this serves as a significant step towards justice.

He specifically mentioned the case of Cecilia Dapaah, the former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources in Ghana, whose actions led to the exposure of unexplained wealth and alleged theft.

Kpebu pointed out that by reporting the house-helps to the police and initiating the trial, Dapaah inadvertently revealed details about the significant amounts of money she had at home. He sees this exposure as a form of justice in itself, as it led to public awareness and scrutiny.

He also mentioned that even if the Special Prosecutor is unable to gather enough evidence to bring formal corruption charges against Dapaah, there could still be the possibility of confiscating unexplained wealth. This is based on Article 286(4) of the Ghanaian constitution, which allows the state to confiscate assets if an individual cannot adequately explain their source of income.

Kpebu stressed that this practice has been present in Ghana since Kwame Nkrumah’s era and that unexplained wealth confiscation serves as a way to ensure accountability even in the absence of concrete corruption charges.

Overall, Kpebu’s perspective highlights the significance of transparency, public awareness, and accountability in cases involving alleged corruption or unexplained wealth. It also underscores the role of public pressure in encouraging state agencies to remain focused on investigating and addressing such cases.