The Accra High Court has ordered the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to immediately release a stolen 2025 Mercedes-Benz V-Class to its rightful owner—French-based car rental company Tasocak Alexandre HT-Rent A Car.
The vehicle, with chassis number W1VVMLFZ0S4437034 and French registration GY-865-XB, was fraudulently shipped to Ghana after being hired from the company’s office in Arnouville, France.
The court’s directive follows an application for an order of mandamus and prohibition filed by the company’s lawful attorney in Ghana, Kwame Owusu Asante.
Presiding judge, Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu, not only ordered the release of the luxury van but also prohibited the GRA from handing it over to any third party.
The court further instructed that the vehicle be re-exported to France without delay.
The vehicle had been rented on September 23, 2024, by one Appiah Myke-Cosby at a fee of €2,800.65. Although the rental agreement was extended to November 15, 2024, internal investigations triggered by suspicious GPS activity revealed that the van had been fraudulently exported to Ghana.
On September 26, it was discovered that the van had been loaded into a container at Bruyeres Sur Oise, France, and shipped to Ghana under Myke-Cosby’s name.
Upon discovering the fraud, the French company filed a formal criminal complaint on November 18, 2024, with the Genosse National Police and the Public Prosecutor of Pontoise.
A separate complaint was filed in Ghana by Mr. Asante, leading to the interception of the container at the Tema Port.
A police investigation concluded in March 2025 affirmed the company’s legal ownership and recommended the re-exportation of the vehicle to France.
However, despite several formal requests and the police report, the Customs Division of the GRA declined to release the vehicle, prompting the court action.
In court on July 3, 2025, the GRA claimed it was unaware of the vehicle’s location. Mr. Asante, who was present at the hearing, alleged complicity among some GRA and police officers, noting that he had received phone calls from insiders who mistakenly believed he was part of the criminal syndicate.
Justice Nyadu, after reviewing all evidence and submissions, granted the reliefs sought by the applicant, affirming the rightful ownership of the French company and ordering that the vehicle be returned to them.
The court warned the GRA not to release the vehicle to any third party under any circumstance.
This judgment adds to growing concerns over fraudulent vehicle export schemes and calls attention to the need for tighter inter-agency coordination between customs authorities and law enforcement on both international and domestic fronts.
