The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has formally charged four public officials with corruption following an elaborate scheme to unlawfully seize ten containers of imported rice at the Tema Port.
In a statement posted on their official X (formerly Twitter) page, the OSP revealed that Issah Seidu, James Keck Osei, John Abban, and Peter Archibold Hyde have been charged after allegedly conspiring to hijack the ten containers of rice imported from Thailand in 2022.
The rice was fraudulently claimed by Seidu using fake documents and a letter falsely issued from the Office of the Vice President.
The accused are Issah Seidu of the National Insurance Commission; James Keck Osei, a former Director at the Vice President’s Secretariat; and two senior Customs officers, John Abban and Peter Archibold Hyde, who allegedly conspired to override customs procedures and secure the goods.
According to the OSP, the quartet conspired to bypass official customs procedures to secure the rice containers for personal gain.
According to the OSP, although the rice was legally imported and all duties paid, the group attempted to auction the containers to Seidu.
The collusion between Seidu, Osei, and the Customs officials was uncovered through internal investigations by the Ghana Revenue Authority and a subsequent High Court ruling that exposed the fraudulent plot.
“The plot was uncovered following internal investigations and a High Court ruling that exposed the fraudulent scheme.”
The four accused are scheduled to appear in court on Friday, June 27, 2025, to face multiple charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, corruption, and abuse of public office.
Source : www.kumasimail.com Kwadwo Owusu
