Issa Seidu Bounced At Court Over 10, 000 Bags of Lele Rice

The matter involving the ownership of some 10,000 bags of rice imported into the country in January 2022, which became the infamous ‘Ramadan Rice’ has come to finality.

This was after an Accra High Court (Commercial Division) presided over by Justice Francis, yesterday ruled that, the ‘Lele’ brand of rice does not belong to the Plaintiff in the matter, Mr Issa Seidu, the Chief Executive Officer of Faithy Ventures.

The court purportedly described the moves of Mr Seidu, who is an employee of the National Insurance Commission, in an attempt to claim ownership of the rice, as a create, loot and share venture, as it was the court’s position that some other persons, were involved in the move to claim the rice from the rightful owner.

According to the court, the rightful owner was Mr Alex Takyi Yeboah, who imported the consignment from Thailand.

The court, ordered Mr Seidu to pay damages of GH₵380,000.00, to Mr Yeboah.

The court again awarded a cost of GH₵100,000.00, against the plaintiff.

The case, with suit number CM/EX0599/2022 was filed by Mr Seidu as plaintiff against the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and four others being the defendants.

The plaintiff [Mr Seidu] who claimed ownership of the rice, insisted that the goods were imported from Vietnam.

However, the court in its ruling, said the rice was imported from Thailand and not Vietnam, as Lele rice is a product from Thailand and no other country.

According to the court, the activities of Mr Seidu, must be investigated further, as there are elements of fraud and suspicions that some Customs Officers were involved in forcibly making him the owner of the rice which was imported into the country by Mr Yeboah.

The court said, Mr Seidu, nearly succeeded in claiming the rice, but for the vigilance of the rightful owner and another Defendant in the matter.

The court established that Faithy Ventures was registered at the Registrar General’s Department after the litigation concerning the ownership had started.

The court, said that there was suspected fraud and illegality in the registration of the company all in the name of getting the rice from the legitimate owner.

Mr Seidu, who is being prosecuted by the OSP, through his company, Faithy Ventures, filed processes in court against the Director-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Commissioner of Customs and Cosco Shipping Lines Company Limited, over attempts to deny him his goods.

He accused the top officers of conniving with hotelier cum businessman by the name Alex Takyi Yeboah, who is “feverishly trying to appropriate” some 10 containers of rice belonging to him using FIRSTIDEA Company Limited, the 5th Defendant as his agent.

Mr Yeboah, filed counterclaims against Mr Seidu, with the case dragging on from 2022 until the judgement was delivered yesterday.

The rice, later became known as ‘Ramadan Rice’ because of some attempts to declare it as ‘Uncleared Cargo’ and has therefore been confiscated to state, and that it was to be shared for Ramadan.

Source: Anchorghana.com