Col Damoah (Rtd), Adu Kyei drag OSP to court

The former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Col Kwadwo Damoah and his Deputy, Joseph Adu Kyei have dragged the Office of the Special Prosecutor to court for implicating them in the Labianca corruption scandal.

3new.com report sighted by GhanaPlus.com said the two are asking the court to dismiss the “Alleged Commission of Corruption and Corruption-Related Offences Involving Labianca Group of Companies and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority report published by the Special Prosecutor’s office on August 3.

Labianca scandal

Col Damoah and the Deputy Commissioner for Customs, Mr. Joseph Adu Kyei were in August this year named in a corruption scandal involving Labianca Group of company, substantial market share holder in Ghana’s the frozen foods importation sector.

The company is owned by a Member of the Council of State, Ms. Asomah-Hinneh who is also member of the Board of Directors of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

The report said Col Damoah approved a reduction of 5%-10% in a benchmark value issued by Mr Adu Kyei on the said products imported by the company under the guise of customs advance rulings without cause to due processes.

The development resulted in a whopping One Million Seventy-Four Thousand cedis Six Hundred and Twenty-Seven cedis Fifteen pesewas (GHC1,074,627.15) financial short fall to the state.

“However, Mr. Adu Kyei proceeded to render a customs advance ruling to the applicants by reducing the values of their intended imports between a range of 5% – 10% below the approved benchmark values of frozen foods. Mr. Adu Kyei claimed that he based his decision on proper procedure – being a letter dated 6 February 2018 authored by Mr. Isaac Crentsil, a former Commissioner of the Customs Division and that his decision resulted in the prevention of loss of revenue to the State,” the report said.

 “Mr. Adu Kyei also contended that his decision to reduce the benchmark values for the applicants was founded on the practical guidelines for valuation control by the World Customs Organization issued in June 2012, particularly at pages 22 and 23″.

“Mr. Adu Kyei’s decision to render an advance ruling to the applicants by reducing the values of their intended imports between a range of 5% – 10% below the benchmark values was wrongful and unsupported by the requirements of the law for the issuance of customs advance ruling. Mr. Adu Kyei wilfully put aside the law by embarking on his own predilections”, the report sighted by GhanaPlus.com said.

The report said “Colonel (Rtd.) Damoah acknowledged the disingenuity of the outcome by admitting that the applicants did not meet the legal requirements for the issuance of customs advance ruling. Then again, Ms. Asomah-Hinneh and Mr. Etse Gadegbeku stated expressly that Labianca did not apply for customs advance ruling,” when interviewed by the Special Prosecutor’s office.

If you attempt to destroy me, it won’t be easy for you” – Col Damoah tells Kissi Agyebeng

However, while addressing Senior Customs officers at a retreat in Kumasi Wednesday, August 10, Colonel (Rtd.) Damoah rubbished the report adding that it was an attempt by the OSP to destroy his hard earn reputation.

He added any such attempt will not succeed.

Source: GhanaPlus.com