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Patience Botwe, the former househelp of Cecilia Dapaah, the former Minister for Sanitation, and six others who are facing trial for their alleged involvement in the stealing of money and property at her residence, have been granted bail.

This bail was approved when they made their first appearance at the High Court in Accra, presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons.

The decision to grant bail came after a request made by one of the defense lawyers, Augustine Gyamfi, who pointed out that the accused had been in custody for over four months. He assured the court that the accused persons would comply with all court appearances if granted bail.

In response to the request, Justice Marie-Louise Simmons granted bail to the seven accused persons, each with a bail amount of seven hundred and fifty thousand cedis (GHC 750,000).

Additionally, the bail conditions included two sureties for each accused, with one of them needing to provide justification. Both sureties were required to be gainfully employed, with one residing in Accra and possessing a landed property. Furthermore, both sureties had to submit a copy of their Ghana card to the court registrar.

Justice Marie-Louise Simmons also instructed the police investigator to take photographs of the accused persons from the front and side. Copies of these pictures were to be attached to the bail bond, court files, and a copy retained by the police.

She also added that the residences of the sureties and accused persons must be inspected and known to the case Investigator who is required to look for them when they run away.

The seven accused individuals, Patience Botwe, Sarah Agyei, Benjamin Sowah, Malik Dauda, Christiana Achab, Job Pomary, and Yahaya Sumaila, all pleaded not guilty to 31 counts of stealing, conspiracy to commit a crime, dishonesty, receiving and money laundering.

Justice Marie-Louise Simmons directed the prosecution, led by Akosua Agyaponmaa Agyemang, an Assistant State Attorney, to provide disclosures and witness statements to the accused and their lawyers by December 8, 2023.

These accused persons are facing trial for their alleged involvement in the stealing of $1 million, €300,000, and valuable properties worth millions of Ghana cedis at the Abelemkpe residence of Cecilia Dapaah and her husband Daniel Osei Kuffour.

The case has been adjourned to December 12, 2023, for a Case Management Conference (CMC).