Cecilia Dapaah’s theft case: Former house-help refused bail after flouting orders

Patience Botwe, former House-help of Madam (Cecilia Dapaah) has had an application for bail filed by her lawyers refused by the Circuit Court in Accra.

This was after records emerged from the Juvenile Court where she had previously been arraigned that she misconducted herself and subsequently jumped bail.

On September 19, the Circuit Court presided over by Her Honour Afia Owusuaa Appiah ordered the Juvenile Court ‘C’ to make available records of proceedings on Botwe.

This was after her lawyers led by Nana Addo Asrifi per his bail application argued that, at the Juvenile Court, his client was admitted to bail.

The court upon hearing that arguement, made an order for the Juvenile Court to furnish the Circuit Court with the records of proceedings.

In court on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the said records of Proceeding of Juvenile Court ‘C’ was made available to the Circuit Court.

It however emerged that, Patience Botwe “flouted the Juvenile Court bail conditions and was not attending Court.

The records of proceedings from the Juvenile Court also indicated that, even though a bench warrant was issued for her arrest, it was not executed until the case was struck out.

The Court said Patience Botwe on the date the case was struck out was also absent from the Court.

“Having flouted the juvenile court’s orders bail, and not attending court, this court (Circuit Court) is not inclined to grant her bail.

The sitting judge, Her Honour Afia Owusuaa Appiah said the bail application of Patience Botwe is refused.

Orders
The Court has 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 Akosua Agyaponmaa Agyemang, an Assistant State Attorney had prayed for an adjournment to study the voluminous docket submit to them by investigators.

But, lawyers of the accused persons vehemently opposed to the request for long adjournment.

The Court subsequently adjourned the case to October 17, 2023 for the bail application for the Benjamin Sowah to be heard and the plea of the accused persons taken.

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.

Their respective pleas have not been taken as Prosecutors say investigations are winding up.

Since the amended charge sheet was moved on August 8, 2023, 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.

The are on 14 provisional counts of charges comprising of a count of conspiracy, five counts of conspiracy and eight counts of dishonestly receiving.