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. This was after they had failed to submit the assets declaration forms they received from the OSP. The OSP had informed the court that it had filed a nolle prose qui, to the effect that it had no basis to continue with the prosecution of the three officers. 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 custom officials. Mr Issah Siedu, another public servant, who was also accused, was however not discharged. Meanwhile Issah Seidu has sued the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs Division, one Alex Takyi, a businessman, and others over 10 containers of rice believed to have been imported from Vietnam, but which the businessman claimed was from Thailand. The matter is currently pending at an Accra High Court in relation to the ownership of the rice. The OSP contended that it would amend Seidu’s charges pending further investigation by the Office. The Office had earlier held that it was fulfilling its mandate by going after public officials who may be breaching the law as established. However, after much publicity by the OSP’s office, it came to light that as at January 6, 2023, Mr Keck 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, only to be given a criminal summons when he reported. The two others; Seidu and Abban, submitted their forms later.

Source: Ghana News Agency