OSP Charges Ex-Vice Presidential Staffer, 3 Others in GH¢10m Rice Container Scandal
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed formal corruption charges against four public officials, including James Keck Osei, a former Director at the Vice President’s Secretariat, over their alleged roles in a botched plot to steal 10 containers of imported rice from the Tema Port.
According to an official statement posted by the OSP on X (formerly Twitter), the accused — James Keck Osei, Issah Seidu of the National Insurance Commission, and Customs officers John Abban and Peter Archibold Hyde — conspired to unlawfully seize the rice containers using forged documentation, including a fake letter supposedly from the Office of the Vice President.
The rice in question, imported from Thailand in 2022, had already been legally cleared with all required duties fully paid. However, the group allegedly tried to re-claim and auction the containers fraudulently to Seidu.
“Despite the rice being legally imported and duties paid, the group tried to auction the containers to Seidu. Their plot collapsed after internal investigations and a High Court ruling exposed the scheme,” the OSP revealed.
The suspects are set to appear in court on Friday, June 27, 2025, where they will face multiple charges, including corruption, wire fraud, and document forgery.
This development is part of the OSP’s broader crackdown on high-level public sector corruption and fraud. It follows several recent cases, including ongoing efforts to extradite former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who has also been declared wanted by the OSP.
The case is expected to test Ghana’s resolve in enforcing accountability among top government officials and will be closely watched by anti-corruption stakeholders across the country.
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