SUSTAIN R.K. ABOTSIE AND CEPS [2001]DLCHRAJ6082

Date	2001-06-19
Suit No.	Our Ref: CHRAJ/661/96/319
Citation No.	[2001]DLCHRAJ6082

CHRIS A. OPOKU

[2001]DLCHRAJ6082
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B050">SUSTAIN R.K. ABOTSIE <o:p></o:p>(PETITIONER)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B050">CEPS <o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<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/661/96/319&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; &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: 19/6/2001<o:p></o:p>

</div>commissioner:<o:p></o:p>CHRIS
A. OPOKU DEPUTY DIRECTOR (PROTECTION &amp; ENFORCEMENT) FOR COMMISSIONER<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none;
border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">DECISION<o:p></o:p>

</div>The
complainant, Mr. Sustain Romeo Kofi Abotsie, until his dismissal in May 1985
was a Junior Customs Excise and Preventive Officer in the employment of the
respondents, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service. Following allegations that
he disregarded departmental instructions which led to the removal of several
customed goods from the Tema Harbour, he was on 2nd May 1985
dismissed from the service of the respondents.<o:p></o:p>A complaint was lodged with the then
Ombudsman by the complainant and investigations were conducted into the
circumstances leading to his dismissal. In its Report of findings dated 7th
January 1989, the Ombudsman made the following findings of fact amongst others
in respect of the complainant:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">"By some strange
combination of circumstances this petitioner was dismissed for something he had
not done i.e. disregarding departmental instructions which led to the removal
of several containers from the Tema harbour, an act in which he had no
hand."<o:p></o:p>Pursuant
to the finds of the Ombudsman, several representations were made by the
complainant to the Office of the President and the respondents for a
reconsideration of his case.<o:p></o:p>By their letter dated 20th
February 1996 the respondents, referring to the complainant's petition to the
President indicated that “the service will be willing to abide by his
Excellency's decision thereon, whenever it is forthcoming."<o:p></o:p>The Office of the President, by a letter
dated 3rd June 1996 referred the petition to the Commission for
necessary action.<o:p></o:p>The Commission has thoroughly studied the
findings of the Ombudsman as it relates to the complainant and finds it to be
sound in law. Most significant of the Ombudsman's findings was the finding that
it was a group of three employees i.e. Messrs. E.A. Adjei, P.K. Derby and
Cooper Kwarteng who perpetrated the fraud in question and that the complainant
was by some strange combination of circumstances, dismissed for something he
had not done.<o:p></o:p>The
Commission finds that the identification of the culprits to the exclusion of
the complainant does establish a strong case that he was an innocent victim of
the revolutionary justice of that era.<o:p></o:p>It is regrettable that inspite of his
several representations to various quarters, the injustice occasioned to him
was never remedied. The Commission is reliable informed that the complainant
has since died out of frustration.<o:p></o:p>