Colonel Damoah: GRA Commissioner’s Name Pops Up In National Security Operation That Busted Cargo Trucks

• Colonel Kwadwo Damoah’s name has been mentioned in a leaked 2021 letter authored by a senior National Security officer about some busted cargo trucks
• The trucks were found to be carrying goods that were under-declared to evade taxes
• When the occupants of the two cargo trucks were questioned, they placed calls to GRA bigwigs, including Col Damoah
• Some of the GRA bosses that the occupants of the cargo trucks called asked the National Security officers to release the trucks unconditionally

A leaked letter has revealed that senior officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) aided huge cargo trucks to under-declare goods and evade taxes in 2021.

One of the GRA bosses cited for possible underhand dealings is the Commissioner of Customs Division of the GRA, Col. Kwadwo Damoah.

Col. Damoah has been in the news recently for taking on the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, for implicating his office in alleged corruption activities involving Labianca Company Limited.

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Labianca, owned by a member of the council of state, was found by the special prosecutor to have evaded tax to the tune of GH¢1.074 million with the help of GRA bigwigs.

Big Bust Of Two Cargo Trucks By National Security

The leaked letter, first published in full by Accra-based Starr News, reveals the incident happened on October 8, 2021, at the Dzorwulu traffic light, near Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra.

The confidential letter authored by then-Deputy National Security Coordinator Edward Asomani revealed that officers acted on suspicion of under-declaration and misdescription of goods contained in the two trucks.

"The trucks, with registration numbers GW 6957 -13 and GT 8502 -16 from Aflao, upon arrest, were escorted to the Customs Laboratory Division at Airport Roundabout for re-examination.

"It was revealed, after the re-examination, that a substantial number of goods in the trucks were undeclared and thus, no duties were paid on same. Kindly find attached the list of declared and undeclared goods in the trucks." portions of the letter sighted by YEN.com.gh recounted.

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Col Damoah’s Name Pops Up

According to the letter, when the trucks were stopped for inspection, the agitated occupants allegedly placed a call to Col. Damoah.

"John Agbawu, who was the leader of the National Security Operation that busted the trucks] received a call from one Kojo Bonsu, Staff Officer to the Commissioner, instructing him to release the trucks unconditionally.

"Further, Agbawu received another call from Adu Kyei, Deputy Commissioner of Operations, CD-GRA who also gave similar instructions. Additionally, the trader who placed the call to Col, Damoah recorded the arresting officers on video, to be forwarded to him," the leaked letter revealed.

It is not yet clear to who Mr Asomani addressed to letter, but he directed the recipient to probe the incident further and report back because of its implication for domestic revenue mobilisation.

Customs Boss Slams “Small Boy” Special Prosecutor Over Labianca Report, Says “God Is On My Side”

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In a previous story, YEN.com.gh reported that the special prosecutor cited a member of the Council of State for allegedly cheating the state in import taxes with the help of Col Damoah’s office.

The claims by the prosecutor struck a nerve in Col Damoah, who said he was convinced that Mr Agyebeng was scheming to bring him down.

"God is always on my side. Before that report came, the [Special Prosecutor] had made a comment to some people who had come to tell me, he [Special Prosecutor] was going to publish that will discredit me…" he retorted.

Source: YEN.com.gh