Issah Seidu, one of the accused persons in the ongoing Tema Port rice container case being prosecuted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), has been taken back into custody after allegedly violating the terms of his bail.
According to reports, Seidu was arrested on 13 April 2026 at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra while preparing to travel abroad on an official trip said to have been arranged and funded by the National Insurance Commission.
His attempted travel is believed to have breached bail conditions that required him to remain within the jurisdiction of the court unless granted express permission.
He was subsequently brought before the Accra High Court (Criminal Division), Court 1, on 15 April 2026. The court ordered that he be remanded into custody pending further proceedings in the case.
Seidu is currently on trial with three others in connection with the alleged unlawful handling of 10 containers of rice seized at the Tema Port.
The development has also raised public concern due to Seidu’s position as a staff member of the National Insurance Commission, which reportedly sponsored the overseas trip in question.
Questions have emerged over how the travel arrangements were approved despite his ongoing legal restrictions.
In the wider case, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has charged four individuals over an alleged attempt to fraudulently acquire the rice containers.
The accused include Issah Seidu of the National Insurance Commission, former Deputy Director at the Vice President’s Secretariat James Keck Osei, and two Customs officers, John Abban and Peter Archibold Hyde.
Prosecutors allege that the group conspired to use forged documents, including a letter purportedly from the Office of the Vice President, to facilitate the release of the containers through the Ghana Revenue Authority’s auction process.
Investigations indicate that the rice shipment, imported from Thailand in 2022, had already cleared all required duties, and authorities say the attempt to reprocess the containers was unlawful.
The alleged scheme was reportedly uncovered through internal investigations by the Ghana Revenue Authority, supported by a High Court ruling.
The accused are expected to return to court on Friday, 27 June 2025, to answer charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, corruption, and abuse of public office.
The OSP has stated it will continue to pursue the case and has not ruled out further arrests as investigations progress.
The case has added to ongoing public debate about corruption within state institutions and renewed calls for accountability in public service.
