Two persons, who bribed a National security operative of ¢40,000 and CFA2,500,000 after their loaded trucks exceeded the axle weighing weight on the Accra-Tema Motorway, have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
The amount was to influence or induce the National Security Officer, to overlook the excess weight of the trucks without subjecting them to the applicable laws.
Alhaji Karim Abubakar and Abdul Rauf Jabril, both transporters, have been charged with conspiracy and giving bribes to influence a public officer.
Abubakar and Jabril have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The relieving Judge, Susana Edufful, has admitted the two accused persons to bail in the sum of ¢80,000 with two sureties each to be justified with landed property.
The court further ordered that the documents on the landed property be deposited at the Court’s Registry pending the final determination of the case.
The court also directed Prosecution, as well as the accused and their lawyers, to file their disclosures at the Court’s Registry.
Defense Counsel of the accused person prayed for bail.
The prosecution, led by Detective Inspector Frederick Sarpong, did not object to the grant of bail but prayed the court to attach conditions to the bond in order to compel the accused persons to appear to stand full trial.
The matter has been adjourned to September 14.
Inspector Sarpong told the Court that the complainant in the case is a National Security Officer in Accra and that the accused persons also ply the Tema Harbour through Accra-Tema Motorway to Mali.
The prosecution said following intelligence that some ECOWAS transporters and truck drivers have been conniving with Ghanaian Officials manning the Axle Weight Weighing Points to fleece the state of payable requisite levies, the National Security and National Intelligence Bureau planted staff across the country to monitor and curb the anomaly.
According to the Prosecutor, on August 1, 2021, at about 1930 hours, the accused persons had their trucks driven to the Axle Weight Weighing Point along the Accra Tema Motorway.
The prosecution said Abubakar and Jabril, whose trucks exceeded the permissible Axle Weight, conspired and bribed the complainant with GH¢40,000 and CFA2.5 million to pay no attention to the excess weight of the trucks and not to subject them to the applicable laws.
The Prosecutor said the complainant caused the arrest of the accused and handed them over to the Police.
During investigations, Prosecution said Abubakar and Jabril said they hired the services of the drivers to convey their goods from Tema Port to Mali.
In their Investigation Caution Statements, the Prosecution said accused persons admitted having given monies to the complainant.