The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed formal corruption charges against four public officials over an audacious scheme to hijack ten containers of imported rice at the Tema Port using forged documents and political influence.
The accused—Issah Seidu, James Keck Osei, John Abban, and Peter Archibold Hyde—are expected to appear before the High Court on Friday, June 27, 2025.
According to court filings and investigative disclosures from the OSP, the rice, which was legally imported from Thailand in 2022 with all applicable duties paid, became the target of a coordinated fraudulent takeover.
However, Seidu, who is an official with the National Insurance Commission (NIC), is alleged to have falsely claimed ownership of the containers using forged documents, including a letter fraudulently issued in the name of the Office of the Vice-President.
Investigators said Seidu did not act alone.
He was reportedly aided by James Keck Osei, a former Director at the Vice-President’s Secretariat, and two senior Customs officials—John Abban and Peter Archibold Hyde.
The four allegedly conspired to bypass customs procedures and stage an illegal auction of the rice to Seidu, effectively laundering the seized goods through state mechanisms.
Scheme collapses under investigation
The fraudulent operation was thwarted after internal reviews within the Customs Division and oversight from the Special Prosecutor’s office unearthed inconsistencies in the documentation and process.
A subsequent High Court ruling affirmed that the containers were wrongfully targeted and cleared the way for charges to be brought.
The OSP’s investigation found that the accused not only attempted to take possession of goods that did not belong to them but used the weight of state institutions to legitimize their actions.
The falsified documents—including the purported letter from the Vice President’s Office—were central to efforts to subvert customs regulations and misappropriate the imported rice.
The case highlights a growing trend of politically linked corruption schemes that exploit the weaknesses of Ghana’s import and port clearance systems.
The case marks another high-profile corruption probe under the tenure of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
The suspects are expected to be arraigned before a High Court in Accra on Friday, June 27, 2025, where formal charges will be read.
