The management of Jamila Home, an antique showroom in Accra, has been invited by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to assist with investigations. This follows an alleged assault on one of its officers during a compliance operation at the facility.
On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, GRA officials were denied entry into the showroom. A confrontation ensued when they attempted to access the premises. During this altercation, one officer was reportedly assaulted.
Additionally, a security personnel damaged an official’s phone while trying to prevent recording of the incident.
Mr. Joseph Adjeikwei Annan, Assistant Commissioner for Accra Area Enforcement at GRA, led officers to the showroom on Thursday, October 8, 2026. He stated that the incident stemmed from an intelligence-led compliance check initiated by the authority.
Officers had been dispatched after receiving information that prompted this exercise. However, they faced resistance upon attempting to enter.
“The information we received indicated they were refused entry and assaulted,” Mr. Annan said. “One officer lost their ID; it was broken.”
He noted that involved officers had already provided statements to GRA. The Criminal Investigations Department will also take statements from Jamila Home’s management as part of their investigation.
The authority has collected records from the business for examination. They will decide if further compliance checks or a tax audit are necessary.
Mr. Annan emphasized that assaulting a revenue officer is a criminal offense. He warned against attacking revenue officers during their duties.
“Assault is a crime,” he stated. “Section 85 of the Revenue Administration Act prescribes up to 20 years in prison for certain offenses involving obstruction or assault.”
He added that police would determine next steps after gathering statements and conducting investigations.
In response, Mr. Hillarius McCash, Economic Advisor to Jamila Home, explained their operational differences from conventional showrooms. The showroom specializes in expensive luxury antiques and restricts walk-in access.
Clients are educated at the entrance before being allowed inside; appointments are required for private viewings.
Mr. McCash mentioned that on Wednesday, the officer arrived when key personnel were unavailable for relevant documents.
“We asked him to wait or reschedule,” he said. “But our request was not accepted.” The situation escalated when officers entered without permission.
Regarding tax compliance, Mr. McCash stated that Jamila Home files and pays taxes according to its operations. Their records are available for inspection; recent Value Added Tax payments were made about a month ago.
He explained that customers often pay for antiques over extended periods while items may remain with suppliers until payment completion.
Sales can be infrequent; sometimes two to five months pass without any sales occurring.
Mr. McCash expressed willingness to cooperate with GRA in resolving any concerns arising from this compliance exercise.
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