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State broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), has been forced to render an apology to Stan Xoese Dogbe, a Presidential Staffer.

The apology may not have raised any eyebrows, but the "incident" leading up to the issuance of the apology is what has engaged the attention of Ghanaians on social media.

GBC was caught in the dramatic volte-face when it quickly edited a press release from the Flagstaff House Communications Bureau on the subject of the 3 South African ex-policemen who were recently arrested by the Bureau National Investigations (BNI), for allegedly giving illicit security training to some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

On March 20, BNI officials arrested three South African ex-police officers in the Central region for engaging in what it described as “acts that threaten the country’s security”.

The three men, Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (Rtd.) 54, WO/Denver Dwayhe Naidu (Rtd.) 39, and Captain Mlungiseleli Jokani (Rtd.) 45 were picked up at the El Capitano Hotel in Agona Duakwa in the Central region.

Most news sites (Peacefmonline, Citifmonline, Myjoyonline, Ghanaweb) and print media (Daily Graphic, Daily Post, etc) cited the BNI as the source of their story.

According to some publications quoting from a BNI report, “The trio, all ex-police officers were engaged in training fifteen young men in various military drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques and rapid response maneuvers”.

The BNI has disclosed that its arrest of the trio is in consonance with The Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 1996 (ACT 526).

But on GBC's online portal, an initial press release on the arrest cited by Peacefmonline.com, indicated the statement was issued in Accra by the FSH Communication, and signed by Stan Dogbe. A couple of hours later, the statement on the state broadcaster's online portal underwent some "changes" with the former Head of the FSH Communication Bureau's name missing.

Peacefmonline.com was able to capture the "original" press statement before it was "edited".

It is unclear how the state broadcaster got Mr Dogbe's name mixed-up in the release and why virtually all the reports earlier in the day never indicated news of the arrest was released by the FSH Communication but only highly placed security sources.

Below is a copy of the apology issued by the state broadcaster 

"The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) retract and deeply regret the attribution of the story of the arrest of the three South African nationals in the Central Region by the security agencies for suspicious conduct and engaging in acts that have security implications to Stanislav X. DOGBE.

The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) online once again sincerely apologises to Mr. Dogbe".