Arms dealer sentenced over Ghana jets

An international arms dealer who sold military aircraft to Ghana without a valid licence has been sentenced by the Guildford Crown Court in Oxfordshire after an investigation by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Christopher McDowell, 55, reportedly made over $4 million from the unlicensed sale and shipment of Chinese fighter jets K-8 trainer/light fight jets from China to Ghana, in breach of UK trade controls.


Peter Millroy, Assistant Director, and HMRC, in a statement issued last week said: “With many years’ experience in the industry, McDowell knew what he was doing and illegally brokered the aircraft to Ghana without a valid licence.


HMRC will find people who, like McDowell, decide to break the law and we are delighted that, after an extensive investigation, he has been brought to justice.”


In June 2005, McDowell, Managing director of arms brokers Wellfind Ltd, entered into an agreement with a Chinese company, CATIC, to sell military aircraft to the Ghana Air Force.


The statement added that McDowell ignored the requirement to have a licence until February 2007 that he submitted a licence application to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – by which time the first two of the aircrafts were in the process of being supplied.

McDowell was found guilty of two counts of dealing in arms that were being supplied to Ghana without a valid licence, at Guildford Crown Court on 28 January 2013.


He was sentenced there yesterday to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, and 200 hour’s community service."


In sentencing, His Honour Judge Critchlow, said that he did not accept that McDowell did not understand the legislation, and commented that the defendant had taken no steps to make enquiries to the DTI, or obtain legal advice.


Confiscation proceedings will follow, the statement adds.