Three charged with smuggling a car into the country

Accra, July 23, GNA -- Three people who brought a Peugeot 405 saloon car from Cote d'Ivoire to Ghana through an unapproved route, but were arrested by Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) officials, appeared before a circuit tribunal in Accra today, charged with smuggling.

Stephen Ackah, a driver, John Ackah and David Kwame, both labourers, pleaded not guilty and were each granted five million cedi bail with a surety to appear again on August 12.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Emmanuel Dunyo told the tribunal, chaired by Mr Charles Nyewolema, that on June 24, this year, an informant told CEPS officials at Jewi-Wharf that he had seen a car suspected to be stolen and smuggled into the country through an unapproved route at Nyame Bekyere near the Abbey Lagoon.

He said five officials from CEPS, led by Mr C. K. Boateng, seized the car, a white Peugeot 405, without the occupants. The prosecutor said the accused later approached the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) official attached to the station, and pleaded with him to persuade the CEPS officials for the release of the vehicle.