High Court discharges three public servants for 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.

This was after they had failed to submit the assets declaration forms given to them by 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 Mr James Keck Osei, a civil servant working at the Office of the Vice president of the Republic, Mr John Abban, Mr Peter Archibald Hyde, both senior custom officials.

Mr Issah Siedu, another public servant, who was also accused, was however not discharged.

Meanwhile 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 of which the businessman claims it was from Thailand.

The matter is currently pending at 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 OSP 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 on 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 earlier in the morning proceeded to the OSP to present his forms, but he was asked by the office to go and come back in the afternoon, only to be given a criminal summons when he returned to that office.

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

Source: GNA