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Opinions of Sunday, 13 June 2010

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

What has Become of the Money Accrued from Carl Wilson's Car Confiscations?

I am once more desirous to know what has become of the money accrued from that fictitious auction of the "supposedly" stolen cars (vehicles) seized by Carl Wilson with the blessing of Deputy Chief of Staff, Dishonourable Alex Segbefia. Could the NDC government please tell the nation how much money has so far been realised from that obnoxious exercise and what use it has either been put to, or about to be put to? How at all could Carl Wilson, a guy living in a rundown area (slum or ghetto as others may wish to call it) in Toronto, Canada, come by personal software able to detect foreign stolen cars shipped to Ghana? He must be a software genius then. Is he?

Carl Wilson after indulging in what amounts to blatant thievery committed in broad daylight has the shameless gut to threaten to take some people to court. If he is a man with any hardened balls dangling between his two thighs or legs, let him proceed with the action. Many are those that have been trying to locate his hideout since his disgraceful dismissal from the security services a few weeks ago by His Excellency President Atta Mills. They are eager to take vengeance for viciously denying them their cars or simply put, for stealing their cars. If he has decided to emerge from his lair to take his victims and accusers to court, then thank you God. His victims will no longer suffer any headache trying to find him as by his own craftiness he is indirectly surrendering himself for possible prosecution and persecution.

I have a premonition that Ghana is hurtling down a dangerous path of self-destruct with criminals like Carl Wilson abounding. Had Carl Wilson not been pushed by the foxy Alex Segbefia to do what he did? Had both not connived to inflict daylight robbery on Ghanaian hustlers abroad and or, Ghanaian car importers? Had they not personally benefited from the cars so confiscated? Alex Segbefia is on record to have collected GHC 5,000 from a lady friend of his with the promise of securing her an expensive car from those anticipated to be seized. With this act of premeditation, could he not be guilty of wrongful seizure of cars? Oh Alex, get down off your high horse and apologize for trying to take Ghanaians for fools. Stop being "a big big thief man" as my Indian work colleague says of people with discernable traits of being crook or thief.

What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Carl Wilson and Alex Segbefia think those expensive cars being impounded are too good for their owners - those importing them. They then come out with that hatched but silly scheme to deprive the importers of their cars. They claim the cars have been stolen from some White people abroad or their overseas owners and hence need to be confiscated in Ghana, and given to their NDC cronies for free or for a pittance. Are they trying to tell the importers if they had actually stolen the cars that, "quick buck goes as quick as it comes?" - "hwim hwim ade ko sro sro" Why shouldn't the cars be returned to their owners but be distributed among the NDC guys under dodgy auction sales? Once the cars are sold, where does the money go to? Does it go into a specially created account intended for funding the President Atta Mills' 2012 NDC election campaign as alleged by some people? Does the money go into an account created by the Finance and Economic Minister to carry out a special job for the NDC?

I would personally have preferred the cars returned to their White or overseas owners from whom they were stolen if they were stolen at all. Or, a contact established with their original owners prior to selling the cars off. Or, the money returned to their overseas owners once the cars were sold. But what do we see? The cars are happily shared among the NDC property-seeking and property-owning crooks with the tacit support of Dishonourable Alex Segbefia, my once fellow Londoner. Instead of making me proud, Alex by his selfish and greedy intentions has brought shame upon me. Was it difficulty establishing contact with their foreign owners from whom the cars were stolen were they actually stolen? Could they not have contacted the Foreign Embassy or High Commission in Ghana from whose country or countries the cars were stolen to define the way forward rather than Ghana selling the cars and pocketing the money? Are we all as Ghanaians not made equally thieves as those who had stolen the cars from overseas in case the cars were truly stolen? The cars were never stolen but because some NDC guys are thieves and willing to ride in ostentatious cars, a ploy was devised to rob some Ghanaians of their cars.

Who had been giving chits to some NDC die-hards to take to Alex Segbefia to buy some of the confiscated cars at very cheap prices? I want to know. I know of a close friend in Ghana who went to Segbefia with a chit. Who gave it to him from within the NDC apparatchik? This goes to tell how the NDCs are similar if not far worse than the NPPs they accuse daily of being thieves.

All those who had their cars confiscated could now exact a pound of Carl Wilson's flesh now that he has emerged from his hideout. But please don't. Just sue him for damages. You can also sue his boss, Mr. Conniver – Alex Segbefia. Their attitude of seizing cars resulted in people ceasing to further send or import cars into Ghana. That caused the custom departments at Tema and Takoradi harbours not being able to meet their revenue targets. Is that not a situation of causing a financial loss to the State which is a criminal conduct? The ball is in your court, Messrs Carl Wilson and Alex Segbefia.

I understand there is ministerial reshuffle in the offing. Should it be true as alleged, then I will recommend Alex Segbefia for the sack. He has to be dropped by President Mills for causing him unnecessary headaches, insults, and embarrassment by his infamous car confiscations unless the President himself had authorised that dubious act.

Rockson