Four public officials have been charged with corruption after allegedly hijacking ten containers of rice from an importer at Tema Port in 2022.

The accused — Issah Seidu, James Keck Osei, John Abban, and Peter Archibold Hyde — have been charged by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for conspiring to claim ten containers of rice that were legally imported from Thailand. According to the OSP, the group used falsified documents, including a forged letter purportedly issued from the office of then Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to secure the goods.

Seidu, an official with the National Insurance Commission, and Keck Osei, a former director at the Vice President’s Secretariat, allegedly colluded with two senior customs officers, Abban and Hyde, to bypass standard procedures and take control of the shipment. Despite duties being paid, the group attempted to auction the rice and award the containers to Seidu.

Their scheme was uncovered following internal investigations and a High Court ruling. All four accused are scheduled to appear in court on Friday, June 27, 2025.

Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei, a nominee for the Supreme Court, has called for stricter regulation of digital misconduct, stating that offences committed on social media should be treated with the same seriousness as those committed offline.

Speaking during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, June 16, 2025, Justice Adjei emphasized that Ghana’s existing laws should apply equally across both physical and digital platforms.

Responding to concerns about the rise in fake news, impersonation, and misinformation online, he said:

“If an act is considered a criminal offence in Ghana in the physical world, it should equally be an offence on social media.”

He cited the Communications Act, which already addresses issues like exposing private information or making statements that threaten national security, regardless of the medium used.

Addressing concerns over freedom of expression, Justice Adjei stressed the importance of legal consistency.

“It would be inappropriate to criminalize an act online if it’s not an offence offline. But where the law already exists, the digital space should not offer protection from accountability,” he added.

Justice Adjei currently serves as the Director of the Judicial Training Institute and has contributed significantly to judicial education and legal reforms. He is one of seven individuals being considered for elevation to Ghana’s highest court.

His comments come amid ongoing discussions about the regulation of online platforms in Ghana, particularly during election seasons, when the circulation of misinformation becomes more rampant.

The 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which began on Tuesday, June 11, with over 600,000 candidates across Ghana, has already recorded 10 cases of examination malpractice, according to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

The individuals involved have been handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Ghana continues to grapple with widespread exam irregularities during both the BECE and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Common offences include collusion, possession of unauthorized materials, and impersonation—violations that can lead to the cancellation or withholding of results while investigations are conducted.

Speaking on the JoyNews AM Show, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, revealed troubling details surrounding the recent breaches.

“These 10 individuals have been handed over to law enforcement agencies. Their actions constitute criminal offenses under WAEC regulations, and the police will now handle their prosecution,” Kapi stated.

Among the culprits is a supervisor who allegedly used a mobile phone to take photos of exam questions and shared them on social media. Additionally, six invigilators were caught with phones containing images of the examination papers.

Kapi also reported that a woman, who claimed to be a fashion designer, was found in possession of photocopied answer sheets intended for distribution to students. Other individuals implicated include a student nurse and an administrator from a private school.

WAEC officials responded swiftly, with monitors apprehending persons suspected of attempting to solve questions outside the examination halls and relay the answers to candidates.

“Investigations are ongoing,” Kapi said, adding that the council is still collecting reports from centres that were unreachable on the first day of the exams.

To curb further malpractices, WAEC is collaborating with national security agencies. Kapi mentioned discussions with the National Investigations Bureau in the Ahafo Region, which has promised to deploy personnel to identified high-risk areas.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has also deployed officers to support monitoring activities nationwide. WAEC has stationed its own personnel at various centres as well.

“We believe the increased security presence will serve as a strong deterrent to those contemplating cheating,” Kapi concluded.