Ghana: Custom Officer, 2 Others Accused of Stealing Gold Remanded

24 March 2023
Ghanaian Times (Accra)

The Accra Circuit Court has remanded a custom officer and two others accused of stealing gold valued USD4,303,234.00, belonging to GND Global Trading LLC.

Emmanuel Dwamena, 37, the Customs Officer, Abdul Karim Lakoh, 38, and Seth Dzamesi, 43, both businessmen, denied conspiring to steal the 75 kilos of gold bars, and would reappear in court on March 27.

Meanwhile, their accomplice, George Asamoah, is on the run.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Evans Kesse, said the complainants;Abdallah Ali, Farhad Sami and Zev Volf, were citizens of the United Arab Emirates and Australia, respectively.

The prosecution said Lakoh, a Sierra Leonean, Dzamesi, a Ghanaian, who claimed to be a businessman, resided at Tantra hills,Accra, and Dwamena, also a Ghanaian, resided at Kasoa.

DSP Kesse said Asamoah was at large. The court heard that the complainants went to Sierra Leone and bought gold adding that Lakohalso sold gold to the complainants.

The prosecutionsaid Lakohpromised to assist the complainants travel to Ghana on transit to Dubai with the gold.

DSP Kesse said the Complainants and Lakoh arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on board Sky Airline with their personal belongings, including 75 kilos of gold bars.

However, when the complainants arrived at the KIA, Lakohleft the arrival hall and met Asamoah.

DSP Kesse saidAsamoahcame to the Airport in a Range Rover vehicle and took Lakoh out of the arrival hall.

The court heard that Asamoah and Lakohmet Dzamesi, who was also using customs branded Toyota pickup.

They stole the bag containing the 75kg of gold bars and kept them in the Toyota pickup.

DSP Kessesaid an immigration officer escorted the complainants out of the arrival hall and handed them over to Dwamena at the departure hall.

The court heard that the complainants joined Dwamena's vehicle and he drove to a supposed customs bonded warehouse at East Legon, Accra, to meet Dzamesi, who posed as a customs officer.

DSP Kessesaid the bag containing the 75 kilos of gold bars was sent to Dzamesi'soffice, and after taking delivery of the gold, he (Dzamesi) sacked the complainants from his office.

The prosecution said Dwamena drove the complainants in his vehicle back to the Airport and abandoned them.

At the Airport, the court heard that Lakoh attempted to escape, but he was arrested and handed over to the Airport Police.

Read the original article on Ghanaian Times.

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