GPHA employee granted GHc500,000 bail over alleged tugboat theft
2nd February 2026
A Tema High Court has granted bail to a staff member of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) who is standing trial over the alleged theft of a tugboat valued at $500,000.
Prince Edwin Brem, 47, was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 with three sureties after filing an application through his lawyer on January 19, 2026. As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered him to report to the Police every Friday, the Ghana News Agency has reported.
When the substantive case came up before the Adenta Circuit Court on Thursday, it was adjourned to April 8, 2026, for a Case Management Conference.
Brem has been charged with defrauding by false pretences and forgery of stamps. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo told the court that the complainant, Kofi Kuwada, a resident of Afloa in the Volta Region, is the owner of the tugboat, MV Ebenezer. The accused, who resides at Tema Community Two, allegedly posed as a director of Clearsail Shipping International Management Limited.
According to the prosecution, Brem entered into a ship charter agreement with the complainant on November 14, 2024, for a three-month period, which expired on February 24, 2025. The tugboat, valued at $500,000, was not returned at the end of the agreement.
The court heard that Brem signed the charter agreement and affixed what he claimed was the official stamp of the company, creating the impression that he had lawful authority to act on its behalf.
Despite repeated efforts by the complainant to retrieve the vessel, the tugboat was not returned, prompting a formal complaint to the Tema Fishing Harbour Police Station on September 1, 2025.
Police investigations later involved Boniface Acheampong, a director of Clearsail Shipping International Management Limited, who told investigators that neither he nor the other company director had authorised Brem to sign the agreement. He further stated that the stamp used was not approved or recognised by the company.
Brem was arrested on September 5, 2025, after reporting to the Tema Police. During investigations, he admitted to chartering the tugboat and promised to return it, but failed to do so.
Police intelligence subsequently revealed that the vessel was located in Guinea-Bissau. While arrangements were underway for its return to Ghana, Brem allegedly instructed the tugboat—without the consent of the owner and in violation of police directives—to sail to The Gambia and later toward North American waters.
The prosecution told the court that investigations had made it clear that the accused had no intention of returning the tugboat to its owner.