The rice, contained in ten 20-foot containers, was valued at $204,770
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged four public officials with corruption for conspiring to hijack 10 containers of rice at the Tema Port.
The rice, contained in ten 20-foot containers, was valued at $204,770 and had been legally imported from Thailand in 2022.
The four accused individuals are:
• Issah Seidu, General Services Manager at the National Insurance Commission,
• James Keck Osei, a former Director of Administration at the Vice President’s Secretariat,
• John Abban, and Peter Archibold Hyde, both senior officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
According to the OSP, Seidu fraudulently claimed the rice using fake documents and a forged letter allegedly issued by the Office of the Vice President.
Seidu and Osei, together with Customs officials Abban and Hyde, allegedly conspired to override customs processes and secure the release of the goods.
Although the rice had been lawfully imported and the necessary duties fully paid, the group attempted to have the containers auctioned to Seidu under fraudulent pretenses.
Their plot unraveled following internal investigations and a ruling by the High Court, which exposed the scheme.
The OSP confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) dated June 19, 2025, that the four accused persons are expected to appear in court on Friday, June 27, 2025.
According to court documents, Issah Seidu, aged 53, served as General Services Manager at the National Insurance Commission and also operated as a businessman between April and July 2022.
He has been charged with corruption of a public officer for attempting, directly and indirectly, to influence James Keck Osei, a public officer, in the discharge of his duties at the Vice President’s Secretariat.
See the OSP’s post below:
New: Four Public Officials Charged with Corruption Over Seized Rice Containers
Issah Seidu, James Keck Osei, John Abban, and Peter Archibold Hyde have been formally charged with corruption after allegedly conspiring to hijack ten containers of imported rice at Tema Port. The… pic.twitter.com/zreiF9S87H
— Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) June 19, 2025
BREAKING NEWS
1. Case Title: The Republic v. Issah Seidu & 3 Others
New: Four Public Officials Charged with Corruption Over Seized Rice Containers2. Issah Seidu, James Keck Osei, John Abban, and Peter Archibold Hyde have been formally charged with corruption after allegedly… pic.twitter.com/WspzyUZbi1
— The High Street Journal (@TheHighStreetJ) June 19, 2025
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