The Workplace of the Particular Prosecutor (OSP) has instituted formal felony proceedings in opposition to 4 public sector officers in relation to an elaborate conspiracy involving the theft of ten containers of imported rice valued at substantial quantities from the Tema Port facility.
The people going through prices embody James Keck Osei, who beforehand served as a director throughout the former vp’s secretariat, alongside three different authorities officers from varied state establishments.
The remaining accused individuals have been recognized as Issah Seidu, who holds a place with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Fee, and two senior-ranking officers from the Ghana Income Authority’s Customs Division: John Abban and Peter Archibold Hyde.
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In keeping with official documentation launched by the OSP by its social media channels, the prosecution alleges that Seidu and Osei entered right into a felony conspiracy with the 2 customs officers to avoid established port clearance protocols and illegally applicable the imported items for private profit.
The rice cargo in query originated from Thailand and arrived at Ghana’s principal port facility in 2022.
Investigations have established that the consignment underwent correct authorized importation procedures, with all requisite customs duties and taxes absolutely settled by the reliable importers.
The prosecution’s case centres on allegations that Seidu employed fraudulent documentation to stake a false declare to possession of the containers.
Central to this scheme was the creation and utilisation of counterfeit correspondence, together with a fabricated official letter that presupposed to emanate from the Workplace of the Vice President, lending obvious governmental authority to the fraudulent declare.
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The OSP’s investigation revealed that the conspiracy finally failed when subjected to institutional scrutiny.
Regardless of the rice being legally imported and duties paid, the group tried to public sale the containers to Seidu. Their plot collapsed after inner investigations and a Excessive Court docket ruling uncovered the scheme
The prosecution acknowledged in its official communication.
New: 4 Public Officers Charged with Corruption Over Seized Rice Containers
Issah Seidu, James Keck Osei, John Abban, and Peter Archibold Hyde have been formally charged with corruption after allegedly conspiring to hijack ten containers of imported rice at Tema Port. The… pic.twitter.com/zreiF9S87H— Workplace of the Particular Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) June 19, 2025
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The unravelling of the alleged felony enterprise seems to have resulted from a mix of inner administrative opinions and judicial intervention, with a Excessive Court docket dedication taking part in a vital function in exposing the fraudulent nature of the actions.
Authorized Proceedings and Costs
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The 4 accused people have been summoned to seem earlier than a reliable court docket of jurisdiction on Friday, June 27, 2025, the place they are going to be formally arraigned on a number of felony prices.
The prosecution has indicated that the costs embody a number of critical offences, together with corruption-related violations, wire fraud, and doc forgery.
These prices mirror the multi-faceted nature of the alleged felony conduct, spanning conventional corruption offences, trendy monetary crimes involving digital communications, and basic doc fraud involving the creation and use of false official papers.
