BNI Grabs Castle Gunman

The tide has turned against the Confiscated Vehicles Committee of the Castle as its deputy chief, Nana Kublan Olivier popularly called Frenchman, an Ivorian national, has been arrested. According to information reaching DAILY GUIDE, he had been in the custody of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for the past three days. Olivier�s arrest, DAILY GUIDE learnt, was in connection with some stolen cars at the Tema Port. Olivier made negative headlines in recent times when he pulled a pistol on a CEPS officer at the port in an attempt to carry out an unusual procedure at the car depot. His arrest and subsequent interrogation by BNI operatives, DAILY GUIDE learnt, was not over the gun-pulling incident but some stolen vehicles. The refusal by National Security operatives attached to the depot to allow him have his way when he sought to order a container full of cars open, incensed the Ivorian who drew his pistol. The said pistol was allegedly given to him by a certain Captain Joshua Hamidu. He however was disarmed by a senior Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) officer on the scene and handed over to the Police overseeing that part of the harbour area. The Chairman of the Confiscated Vehicles Committee, Carl Wilson, who engaged the Ivorian to be his deputy, was himself a subject of investigations by security agencies, as he was ordered away from his previous schedule. President John Evans Mills, following persistent reports about acts of impropriety by Carl Wilson at the confiscated car depots at the ports of Tema and Takoradi, ordered that the man be relieved of his position. Deputy Chief of Staff Alex Segbefia, it would be recalled, denied that there was anything untoward about the performance of the man he handpicked for the position. News about acts of impropriety at the depot hit town when a classic case of a vehicle going for 50 pesewas was carried by DAILY GUIDE a few weeks ago. Segbefia explained that the transaction was between the committee and a government agency and was therefore not an unusual deal. He was said to have protected Carl Wilson and the activities of the Confiscated Vehicles Committee and demanded of DAILY GUIDE, evidence in order to take action against Carl Wilson. A report in a pro-government newspaper reported early this week that just before X�mas, President Mills had ordered that Carl Wilson be relieved of his position. Besides, vehicles going to NDC activists at rock-bottom prices, contrary to laid-down procedures, had been often ignored, with the state losing revenue. Vehicles which do not get cleared within 60 days of their docking at the harbour are susceptible to confiscation. Importers fail to clear vehicles when they are unable to pay duties slapped on them. Ironically, the same cars are given away at near gratis prices to party cronies to the disadvantage of the state.