OSP Drags Four Officials to Court Over Attempted Hijack of Ten Containers of Imported Rice Using Forged Documents
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed formal corruption charges against four public officials for their alleged involvement in a brazen attempt to hijack ten containers of imported rice at the Tema Port using forged documents and political connections.
The accused persons—Issah Seidu, an official at the National Insurance Commission (NIC); James Keck Osei, a former Director at the Vice President’s Secretariat; and two senior Customs officials, John Abban and Peter Archibold Hyde—are expected to appear before the High Court in Accra on Friday, June 27, 2025.
According to court documents and findings from the OSP’s investigations, the containers of rice—legally imported from Thailand in 2022 with all applicable duties paid—became the subject of a coordinated scheme to divert them through fraudulent means.
Use of Forged Vice President’s Letterhead
Investigators revealed that Issah Seidu falsely claimed ownership of the rice containers by submitting forged documents, including a letter purportedly issued from the Office of the Vice President. The OSP said Seidu was aided by the other three accused persons in orchestrating the fraudulent takeover.
The group allegedly colluded to bypass laid-down customs procedures and stage an illicit auction of the rice to Seidu—an act that sought to sanitise the illegal diversion through state-sanctioned mechanisms.
Scheme Unravelled Through Internal Oversight
The fraudulent scheme began to fall apart following internal audits within the Customs Division and heightened scrutiny from the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which uncovered glaring inconsistencies in the documentation and auction process.
Subsequently, a High Court ruling confirmed that the rice containers had been unlawfully targeted, clearing the path for the OSP to proceed with criminal charges.
“The accused persons used the authority of state institutions to fraudulently legitimise an illegal enterprise,” noted the OSP in its charge sheet. The falsified letter from the Vice President’s Office was a key instrument used in the attempt to bypass customs protocols.
High-Profile Prosecution Under Kissi Agyebeng
This case adds to a growing list of high-profile corruption probes being undertaken by the OSP under the leadership of Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng. It also underscores rising concerns about the abuse of political office and institutional vulnerabilities within Ghana’s import and port clearance system.
The suspects will be arraigned before the High Court in Accra on Friday, where formal charges are expected to be read. The trial is likely to test the resilience of the OSP in securing accountability in politically sensitive corruption cases.
