Group petitions Special Prosecutor to extend investigate into auctioning of cars to 2009

A group calling itself Concerned Citizens of the Republic of Ghana has petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor to extend its investigations into the alleged auctioning of vehicles to cover the years between 2009 and 2015.

The group believes a number of malpractices involving one Carl Wilson, among others will be uncovered if the Special Prosecutor takes up its request.

“As people with considerable interest in and support for the work of the Special Prosecutor, and for an anti-corruption society generally, we petition, herein, your esteemed office to consider extending the period for the investigation to cover the years 2009 to 2015.

“We are of the firm belief that a lot of malpractices will be uncovered when serious attention is paid to this request” portions of the group’s statement said.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has commenced investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences related to the auction sales of vehicles and other goods by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority between 1 July 2016 and 15 August 2022.

According to a statement from the Special Prosecutor, on 19 August 2022, the Commissioner of the Customs Division was directed to produce some pertinent documentation to aid the probe on or before 30 September 2022.

The office wants the particulars and clear description of all auctioned items, the quantity of all auctioned items, the prices at which the items were auctioned, the date of each auction sale, and the full names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the successful bidders at all the auction sales.

Below is the statement from the group:

PETITION: CUSTOM DIVISION OF GHANA REVENUE AUTHORITY

We, the undersigned concerned citizens of the Republic of Ghana, refer to your press release dated August 22, 2022, on the afore-mentioned subject, and highly commend you for your purposive efforts and resolve to the fight against various forms of corruption and corruption-related activities, a canker that erodes the very foundations of optimal national development.

In the said release, the Office of the Special Prosecutor of Ghana had commenced “Investigation into corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of auction sales of vehicles and other goods by the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority between 1st July, 2016 to 15th July, 2022.”

As people with considerable interest in and support for the work of the Special Prosecutor, and for an anti-corruption society generally, we petition, herein, your esteemed office to consider extending the period for the investigation to cover the years 2009 to 2015. This is important as there have been several allegations of corruption in relation to the auction sales within that period; notable amongst which is the famous Carl Wilson matter, where it was alleged that several auctioned cars were diverted without recourse to proper legal process.

We are of the firm belief that a lot of malpractices will be uncovered when serious attention is paid to this request.

Your cooperation in this regard is very much anticipated.

Yours faithfully, …………Signed……… George Krobea Asante …….Signed…….. Andrew Dwomoh Osei 6 Haile Selassie Ave. South Ridge Accra GA-079-0906 By Citi Newsroom