The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has arrested four people for diverting duty free goods released for export in Paga to Nungua, Accra.
Briefing the media on the development of the arrest, the Commissioner General of GRA, Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Nti said, a vehicle with the registration number, GT 5160-12 was carrying a 300,000 cartons of assorted wine made up of 2,000 cartons of Don Garcia and 1000 cartons of Simon Sangria which belonged to Comet Ghana Limited’s, a duty free shop at Paga on November 6th 2018.
According to Mr. Nti, the authority picked up intelligence on Friday, November 9th that the goods cleared for Paga were being discharged at Nungua.
“ On Friday 9th November,2018 acting upon intelligence that a consignment of Free Zone goods released for export to Paga the previous day had been diverted and were being discharged at Nungua” he said.
He explained that, a suspect Samuel Kwame Agbah of Comet Ghana Limited upon apprehension tried to bribe one of the intelligence team members with GHC2, 000 promising give him more on a later date.
“It was detected that the seal to the goods had been opened with its key and the goods being discharged” Mr. Nti disclosed.
The Commissioner General added that all 39 exportations done by Comet Ghana Limited since September 2018 as per the GCNet system report will be subjected to examination.
“It has always been our suspicion that the regime was being abused and this has confirmed our suspicion” he said.
Mr. Kofi Nti said, the culprits,—Samuel Kwame Agbah, Seth Nyarko, John Tetteh and Daniel Owusu are in the custody of the police aiding investigations and the truck with its contents have been detained pending re-examination and proper re-assessment at the GRA headquarters
“The Free Zone Operator which is Comet Ghana Limited is yet to report to the Authority”
Mr. Nti said,the value of goods diverted amounts to GHC 139,359.89 which attracts GHC 88,957.47 duty liability.
Mr. Nti further appealed to Ghanaians to support the GRA in its efforts to bring a stop to the act.
“We appeal to the public to lend us their full support through the provision of relevant information as in this case and settling all tax liabilities”.
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By: Ania Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana