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

The Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Col. Kwadwo Damoah, (RTD) has said any attempt by to the Special Prosecutor, Mr Kissi Agyepeng to destroy him will not be easy for him.

According to him, many have attempted same but have been unsuccessful adding that he will survive this one too

“Three days ago a report purported to be coming from the Office of the Special Prosecutor trying to indict the Deputy Commissioner of Operations and myself [but] anybody who has read that report very well will know the basis of that.

“And luckily for Me, God is always on my side, before that report came that person had made a comment to some people who had come to tell me [that] he [Special Prosecutor] was going to publish that will discredit me…and I sent people to go and tell him that he is a small boy and I am older than him, I have lived a meaningful life and if he attempts to destroy me it won’t be easy for him. People have tried and I have survived and this one too I will survive it,” Col Damoah said.

Col Damoah named in Labianca corruption scandal

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The Customs Division’s boss was reacting to the “Alleged Commission of Corruption and Corruption-Related Offences Involving Labianca Group of Companies and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority published by the Special Prosecutor’s office on August 3.

He was made comment while addressing a senior Customs officers at a retreat in Kumasi Wednesday, August 10.

Col Damoah and the Deputy Commissioner for Customs, Mr. Joseph Adu Kyei have been 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 resulting 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.

 “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.

The money has since been retrieved.

Source: GhanaPlus.com