Accra Sept. 21, GNA - Four Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) officials from the Tema Harbour Car Park were on Thursday hauled before an Accra Circuit Court for conspiracy and extortion. Alphonse Quainoo; Cornelius Amedudze; Emmanuel Ayi Hammond and Samuel Nyarkotey Tei dressed in their uniforms were alleged to have collected 20 million cedis from an importer, who had gone to clear his car at Tema Harbour Customs office on September 19, 2007.

The court did not take their pleas and remanded them into police custody to reappear on September 27.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) prayed the court to remand them because investigations were ongoing.

Mr Agyei Lartey, who represented the accused persons, said if the monies were found in their drawers then "there is no case against them," adding the accused persons should be admitted to bail.

ASP George Abavelim told the court that on September 19 2007, following complaints that some people were extorting monies from importers, security operatives went to the Tema Car Park. During the operation, the security personnel arrested the four CEPS officials in their offices and when a spot check was conducted cash of GH 2,587 cedis was found in the drawers of Quainoo and Amedudze. Prosecution said Quainoo admitted the offence of extortion saying the GH 2,000 cedis belonged to him and his colleagues.

Amedudze also said 587 was his earning from tips from clients. ASP Abavelim said investigations were ongoing.