Three public servants discharged over non-declaration of assets

An Accra High Court has discharged three out of the four public officers who were charged by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for failing to declare their assets.

The OSP informed the court that it had filed a nolle prosequi, on April 19, 2023.

Therefore, it had no intention to continue with the prosecution of the three officers who had declared their assets.
The officers are James Keck Osei, a Civil Servant working at the Office of the Vice President, John Abban, and Peter Archibald Hyde, both senior officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.

Mr Issah Siedu, another public servant, at the National Insurance Commission, who was also accused, was, however, not discharged.

After the publication by the Office of the Special Prosecutor about their non declaration of assets, it came to light that as at January 6, 2023, Mr Osei had submitted his forms to the OSP before he was charged on February 9, 2023.

In the case of Mr Hyde, on the day he was charged, he had proceeded earlier in the morning to the OSP to present his forms, but he was asked by the Office to return in the afternoon. However, he was given a criminal summons when he reported.

The two others; Seidu and Abban, submitted their forms later.

The OSP stated that it would amend Seidu’s charges pending further investigation by the Office.

The Office is undertaking a lifestyle audit of the officers who are suspects in the corruption and corruption-related investigations into the processes of the auctioning of some seized 250 metric tonnes of lele rice, imported from Thailand.

In December 2022, the OSP requested the declaration of assets as part of the process to determine their sources of income of the officers.

The corruption investigation is, however, ongoing.

Meanwhile, Issah Seidu has sued the Customs Division of the GRA, one Alex Takyi, a businessman, and others over 10 containers of rice said to have been imported from Vietnam, but which the businessman allegedly claimed was from Thailand.

The matter is currently pending at an Accra High Court in relation to the ownership of the rice.