The Office of the Special Prosecutor OSP has recovered over One Million Cedis (ghc 1m) from Frozen foods giant, LABIANCA FOODS for an unpaid duties.
According to tje OSP, Labianca Company Limited commenced operations in 2014 and it is wholly
owned and controlled by Ms. Asomah-Hinneh on all practical and legal considerations. The company, it appears, imports about two hundred (200) forty (40) footer shipping containers of frozen chicken parts, fish, pork and fries
monthly primarily from Europe and the United States of America. It enjoys a substantial market share in the imported frozen foods industry.
In a report cited by www.mayorcarlos.com from the office of the OSP “REPORT OF INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGED COMMISSION OF CORRUPTION AND CORRUPTION – RELATED OFFENCES INVOLVING LABIANCA GROUP OF COMPANIES AND CUSTOMS DIVISION OF GHANA REVENUE AUTHORITY” and signed by Kissi Agyebeng, Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Ghana, on 3 August 2022 stated that, the OSP launched an investigations into the activities of the Company and their dealings with the GRA to unravel such malpractices.
“On 16 November 2021, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (hereafter, OSP)
received a written complaint from one Frank Asare against Labianca Group of
Companies and its subsidiaries (hereafter, Labianca) and the Customs Division
of the Ghana Revenue Authority (hereafter, Customs Division).
2.2 The complainant alleged ongoing corrupt, illegal and questionable dealings
between Labianca and the Customs Division resulting in unlawful markdown or
reduction of benchmark values of frozen food products imported by Labianca
under the guise of customs advance rulings. According to the complainant, the
unlawful markdowns or reductions of benchmark values were procured and
being procured chiefly because the beneficial owner and Chief Executive of
Labianca, Ms. Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh engages in influence
peddling through her positions as a member of the Council of State and a
member of the Board of Directors of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority” the statement said.
The Special Prosecutor, upon determining that the complaint was within the
mandate of the OSP, authorised the commencement of preliminary investigation
into the matter in accordance with regulation 5 of the Office of the Special
Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374). The preliminary
investigation was conducted with as little intrusion into the privacy of individuals and the business operations of the cited companies as the circumstances permitted.
The statement further said, LABIANCA, being the main as the main subject of the investigation, was directed to submit the following documents covering the period 2017 – 2021 in accordance with section 29 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) and regulation 10
of L.I. 2374.
It is expected that very soon some heads will roll at the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Story by: Mayor Carlos.
