Customs officials under investigation for assault

The Ho Police is investigating two officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at Shia border for allegedly assaulting a contractor.

The two officials allegedly manhandled Mr Alex Foli Zanu, Chief Executive Officer of Corsmega Engineering Limited, for allegedly saying customs officers allowed smuggled goods across the border.

A Police source told the Ghana News Agency that statements had been taken from two Customs officers who are helping in investigations.

A source at the Shia border told the GNA that on October 27, a customs officer confronted Mr Zanu, then visiting his business partners in that community, and accused him of being an informant.

That source said though Mr Zanu denied the allegation, the customs officer threatened to shoot him if he was found to be an informant.

The source said at about 1800 hours, some young men accosted Mr Zanu and began beating him.

The source said the two customs officers joined the young men and subjected Mr Zanu to severe beatings, rendering him weak.

The source said one of the officers went for a mini bag of gari, soaked it and poured it on Mr Zanu.

The source said some taxi drivers rescued Mr Zanu and drove him to Ho to report at the Police Station, and was given a medical form to go to the hospital.

Mr Zanu, who spoke to the GNA with some difficulty, said he was having pains in his ribs and eyes, and there was blood in his urine.

Officials at the Ho Sector Office of the Customs Division denied that their men were involved even though they had received reports of an assault case at the border.