Customs officers deny extortion allegations

Accra, Aug. 21, GNA - Two officials of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) on Tuesday told the Justice Glenn Baddoo Committee of Enquiry that allegations of malfeasance against them were to frame them up.

Mr. William Apeadu and Mr. Thomas Kwabena Mpiani-Donkor told the Committee, set up to investigate operational irregularities at the CEPS, that Mr Isaac Owusu-Yankah, a businessman, was merely framing them up for extortion of money.

Mr. Owusu-Yankah in his evidence-in-chief had said customs officials at the Tema Port had reduced the reserved price of a container of printed books after an auction on April 25, 2007 from 48,000 Ghana cedis to 40,000 Ghana cedis to make for the loss in value, as some of the books were later found rather to be drenched. He said he had it tough, as two collectors, Mr. Mpiani-Donkor and Paul Bramdford Gyamfi wanted to extort money from him before they signed the release documents for the container of books. He said they had alleged that he had connived with other CEPS officials to furtively reduce the price of the books to 40,000 Ghana cedis.

Mr. Owusu-Yankah said Mr Apeadu, the more senior of the two customs officers, finally endorsed the release document after 60 Ghana cedis from him, signed it.

Mr. Apeadu, however, denied the allegation and said the witness, who had also spoken of discrepancies in the list of items and the actual goods for other bids, including electrical items, food supplements, computers and personal effects, was only trying to frame him up and had unsuccessfully sought the help of one Mrs Anarfi to that effect. Mr. Mpiani-Donkor, in his evidence, said he neither collected nor demanded any money from Mr. Owusu-Yankah, adding that Mr. Owusu Yankah also did not make him any monetary offer to sign the release documents. He denied collecting 60 Ghana cedis from Mr Owusu-Yankah, who, he said, had made failed attempts to team up with one Felix Boadi to make the allegation of extortion against him.