CEPS Probe Chairman warns witnesses against perjury

Accra, Aug. 27, GNA - Mr Justice Samuel Glenn Baddoo, Chairman of the Committee investigating operational irregularities at the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), on Monday warned witnesses against telling lies to the Committee.

He said though the Committee was not a court, a second-degree felony charge of perjury, with maximum conviction of 10 years could be slapped against any witness who gave false evidence. Mr Justice Baddoo gave the warning at the Committee's sitting in Accra.

In his evidence before the committee, Mr Osman Moro, an operations supervisor at the Africa Coastal Services (ACS), at the Tema Port, denied telling Mr Isaac Owusu-Yankah, a witness, that some customs officials had stolen items from a container at the Port. Mr Gottfried Djanie, Mr Paul Bramford Gyamfi, and Mr Kojo Baisie-Ninchi, who were members of an examination team of a container, which Mr Owusu-Yankah bought at an auction this year, were said to have stolen personal effects, electrical and electronic items from the container.

Mr Moro denied pointing out the men to Mr Owusu-Yankah because they did not give him a computer, from the items allegedly pilfered from the container.

Mr Owusu-Yankah is making claims against the CEPS for pilfering items from the container.

During cross-examination, Mr Moro rejected a suggestion from counsel for Mr Owusu-Yankah, Mr Faustinus Kofi Koranteng that the examination team had promised him (Mr Moro) favours and as a result he had come to lie to the Committee. Mr Djanie and Baisie-Ninchi, as well as Mr Gyamfi, who had testified earlier, denied any allegation of theft against them. Finance Minister Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu in July inaugurated the four-member Committee, under the chairmanship of Justice Baddoo, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana and Chairman of the Ghana Police Council.

The terms of reference of the Committee, which has a one-month deadline, are to investigate the allegations with a view to establishing administrative actions against the affected staff and identify management weaknesses in dealing expeditiously with disciplinary matters.

The Committee is also to review the systems, procedures, processes and rules and regulations of CEPS; examine the auction procedures with a view to recommending specific actions regarding alternatives of disposing of auction goods other than through CEPS establishment and the role of clearing agents, auctioneers and to look into any other matters that are incidental to the work of the Committee's mandate. 27 Aug 07