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The Director of Communications at the Youth Employment Authority (YEA), Malik Basintale, has waded into the ongoing debate over the importation of allegedly stolen vehicles into Ghana, voicing the frustrations of ordinary car buyers who may unknowingly fall victim to international lapses in vehicle tracking.
In a thought-provoking Facebook post, Mr Basintale posed what he described as questions “on behalf of the streets”, highlighting the plight of young Ghanaians who dream of owning cars but now fear being branded criminals.
According to him, the situation is riddled with contradictions. Cars are purchased by certified dealers in the United States, Canada, and other jurisdictions, shipped legally after passing through multiple checks, and then sold to unsuspecting buyers in Ghana. Yet, years later, some of these buyers are arrested on allegations that their vehicles are stolen.
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“If the FBI and security systems of those countries with all their advanced technology could not detect that a car was stolen before export, why should a young Ghanaian buyer be arrested two years later for simply purchasing from a local garage or certified dealer?” he asked.
Mr Basintale listed four critical questions:
- Why couldn’t the FBI or relevant authorities in exporting countries detect and flag the stolen cars before shipment?
- What offence has an ordinary Ghanaian committed by buying a car in good faith from a garage or certified importer?
- How can the average buyer verify whether a “home-used” car is stolen or not before making a purchase?
- If it later emerges that a vehicle is stolen, what remedy exists for the buyer who invested their life savings into it?
He stressed that these are not just legal queries but real-life concerns for the thousands of young Ghanaians who purchase second-hand vehicles as their first major asset.
Mr Basintale underscored that the controversy has created an atmosphere of fear among ordinary citizens, especially low- to middle-income earners.
“I’m sure everyone who drives a ‘home-used’ car will be interested in this, as we, the street 5k men and 3k women, all live in fear now,” he wrote.
Basintale also referenced the principle of “bona fide purchaser for ”value”—a long-standing legal concept that protects individuals who buy property in good faith without knowledge of its defects.
By raising the principle, he appeared to challenge law enforcement agencies to clarify whether innocent buyers could be shielded from criminal liability in cases where they unknowingly purchased stolen vehicles.
His post has resonated with many on social media, reflecting wider public anxiety over recent reports of stolen cars traced to Ghana.
It also throws the spotlight back on both local and international security agencies, with a pressing demand for clearer systems of verification and stronger consumer protection.
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