Tema clearing agent "vomits" stolen import duties

Mr William Wusah, a Tema clearing agent, who pocketed 35.1 million cedis in import duties belonging to the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), has been forced to "vomit" the amount.

Mr. Wusah's company, Anchor Clearing and Forwarding Agency, has also been suspended indefinitely by CEPS pending full investigations into the case.

Mr. Fredua-Agyeman Boakye, Assistant Commissioner of CEPS in charge of Tema Collection, who disclosed this to newsmen, said that Miss Margaret An, alias "Lady Jane", imported assorted commercial goods which attracted customs duties to the tune of 43.1 million cedis.

The importer paid the full amount and other clearing charges totalling 46 million cedis to Mr. Wusah but because he wanted to cheat both the CEPS and the importer, he paid only eight million cedis to CEPS as duties and pocketed the rest of the money.

Mr. Boakye said during the clearing of the goods, CEPS, which had put in place an effective monitoring machine, refused to release the goods to Miss An but she protested, saying that she had paid 46 million cedis to Anchor Clearing and Forwarding Agency.

Based upon this information, CEPS caused the arrest of Mr. Wusah and took him to his house under armed escort where he brought out the money.

Mr. Boakye said CEPS has been trying to avoid personal contacts with importers to reduce overcrowding at the Customs Long Room but due to such criminal practices by some clearing agents, most importers insist that they want to pay the duties themselves.

Meanwhile, three customs officers whose signatures appeared on the clearing documents have been suspended by CEPS until full investigations are conducted to establish whether or not they connived with Mr. Wusah to commit the offence.