N. N. ASIGRI AND CUSTOMS, EXCISE & PREVENTIVE SERVICE [2000]DLCHRAJ5776

Date	2000-08-23
Suit No.	Our Ref: CHRAJ/801/97/1442
Citation No.	[2000]DLCHRAJ5776

BENJAMIN K OPPONG

[2000]DLCHRAJ5776
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >N. N. ASIGRI<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(COMPLAINANTS)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p>CUSTOMS, EXCISE &amp; PREVENTIVE SERVICE<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:center;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">(CHRAJ)<o:p></o:p>

Our
Ref: CHRAJ/801/97/1442&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 23/08/2000<o:p></o:p>

</div>commissioner:<o:p></o:p>BENJAMIN K OPPONG DEPUTY COMMISSIONER<a name="_gjdgxs"></a>
LEGAL/OPERATIONS FOR COMMISSIONER<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>The hearing of the complaint commenced on October 5, 1999. The
Complainant appeared in person whilst Mr. Godwin Attoh represented the
Respondent as counsel.<o:p></o:p>Present at the hearing as the Panel were:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:
.25pt;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dr. Ken
Attafuah&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Chairman<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:
.25pt;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">&nbsp;Mrs. Celeste Krahene
Williams&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Member<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:
.25pt;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">&nbsp;Mr. Theodore Coomson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Member<o:p></o:p>Apart from a few documents, which he tendered as exhibits, the
Complainant kept strictly to the contents of his petition of 24 September 1994,
which he read as his evidence-in-chief.<o:p></o:p>The brief facts as stated by the Complainant were that he was
employed by the Department of Customs and Excise in 1978. By 1986, he had risen
to the rank of Assistant Customs and Excise officer. On 18 September 1986,
however, he was dismissed by the then PNDC government allegedly for
falsification of receipt books and for misappropriation of $65,640.00. He said
that he denied the charge, which, he claimed, was an act of victimization.
Consequently he petitioned the Secretary of National Revenue Secretariat and
the Commission of Customs for redress. After waiting for some 8 years without
hearing anything he decided to petition the Commission on Human Rights and
Administrative Justice {CHRAJ} for reinstatement without loss in seniority or
financial<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:
3.8pt;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
mso-border-shadow:yes">When he was invited to cross-examine the Complainant, counsel for
the Respondent declined saying he only had a comment to make. His comment was
in fact a preliminary objection to CEPS being made the Respondent. Counsel
claimed that the incident occurred in 1986 at a time when the Respondent had
not come into existence. Even though he admitted that the Complainant's
dismissal and the establishment of CEPS occurred the same day i.e. 18th
September 1986, he insisted it was improper to make CEPS the Respondent in this
petition. He finally submitted that, based on his objection, the Respondent
would not take part in the hearing.<o:p></o:p>The case was consequently adjourned sine die for a ruling. This
then is the ruling.<o:p></o:p>The panel has examined PNDCL 144, the law that established the CEPS,
as well as CEPS (Management) Law 1993. These laws entirely cover the issue
raised by the preliminary objection, i.e., whether CEPS is the proper
Respondent in this matter.<o:p></o:p>It is provided under Section 2 of PNDCL 144 as follows:<o:p></o:p>"S.2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Service
shall be made up of<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:51.0pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:
-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(a)<sp</main>