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The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has explained that they repatriated the three South African ex-Police officers who were arrested in Ghana for training the security detail of the Flagbearer and running mate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), because the three concealed the true reasons for their visit.

This, according to the GIS, was a breach of Section 52(1) (e) and (i) of the Immigration Act 2000. 

They were put on board a South African Airways flight number 210, which departed around 9:26 am to Johannesburg on Tuesday morning.

In a statement signed by the GIS Director, the GIS noted that the fact the three South Africans were overseeing security drills contradicted their stated purpose for coming to Ghana.

“They were training 15 Ghanaians out of Accra in security drills, which contradicts the express purpose for their coming to Ghana, which was to attend meetings.”

“Additionally, it is the view of the GIS that the training exercise conducted by the three at the El Capitano Hotel in the Central Region to a group that did not invite them, is clearly a confirmation of the attempt to conceal the motive for their visit and was therefore a breach of Section 52(1) (e) and (i) of the Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573). Their act is also a breach of the conditions precedent for the issuance of visas as contained in the instructions on Form B (Reg.3 (4) of the Immigration Regulation 2001 (LI 1691),” the statement added.

The GIS also indicated that the three South Africans did not know exactly who exactly invited them to Ghana, but the available evidence points to McDan Shipping Ltd as the organization that invited them.

“On the face of the documentation examined, it was clear that the three individuals were not sure of who actually invited them. The NPP as a legal entity did not invite the three South Africans to Ghana and there is no documentation to contradict this fact. The evidence available points to McDan Shipping Ltd and the Danquah Institute as the invitees. As earlier indicated these institutions are not security organisations.”

It was in view of these points that the Director of Immigration acting in accordance with Section 20 of the Immigration Act 2000 revoked the visas issued to the three South Africans.

Find below sections of the GIS statement

Repatriation of three South African nationals

FINDINGS

The three (3) SA nationals were issued B1 (Business) visas which prohibits any form of employment. Their individual hosts had indicated in their respective invitation letters that subjects were to “travel to Accra for a series of business meetings” with them.

MlungiselelI Jokani and Denver Dwayne Naidu who are both employees of GLAEXEC PROTECTION SERVICES LTD in South Africa were invited by Dr Daniel Mckorley of McDan  Shipping Company Ltd by a letter dated 2/03/16.  Hazis Ahmed Shaik an employee of iMvula Quality Protection (Africa) (Pty) Ltd on the other hand was invited by Nana Attobrah Quaicoe of the Danquah Institute by a letter dated 22/12/15.

Hazis Shaik was first to arrive in Ghana. He came on board a South Africa Airlines plane, [Flt no. SA 52] at around 9:40pm on the 5/03/16 on a Republic of South Africa passport number M00052092. He indicated on his disembarkation Card that Movenpick Hotel –Accra was his contact Address in Ghana.

The two other individuals invited by McDan Shipping Ltd arrived in Ghana around 10:15pm on 14/03/16 on South African Airlines, [Flt No. SA 209] and were both travelling on Republic of South Africa passport numbers M00096231 and A05213410 respectively. They both indicated on their disembarkation cards that Alisa Hotel-Accra was their contact Address in Ghana.

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

In their own hand written statements, taken under caution at the BNI and in the presence of their Lawyer, the three (3) individuals indicated that they were engaged by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to come to the country and conduct training for fifteen (15) bodyguards from the party in VIP security drills. Hazis who was identified by the other two as their leader, indicated in his statement that he was “engaged to provide VIP protection training to the protection security officers of the Leader of the Opposition party in Ghana, the NPP. This was my reason for being in Ghana”. This statement does not conform with the purpose of their invitation [“travel to Accra for a series of business meetings”] which they indicated on their application for visa to the Ghana Mission in Pretoria, South Africa.

Based on the aforementioned findings the GIS draws the following conclusions;

The two organizations which extended the invitation to the three South Africans are not known to be registered security companies.

On the face of the documentation examined, it was clear that the three individuals were not sure of who actually invited them.

They were training 15 Ghanaians out of Accra in security drills, which contradict the express purpose for their coming to Ghana, which was to attend meetings.

Additionally, it is the view of the GIS that the training exercise conducted by the three at the El Capitano Hotel in the Central Region to a group that did not invite them, is clearly a confirmation of the attempt to conceal the motive for their visit and was therefore a breach of Section 52(1) (e) and (i) of the Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573). Their act is also a breach of the conditions precedent for the issuance of visas as contained in the instructions on Form B (Reg.3 (4) of the Immigration Regulation 2001 (LI 1691).

In view of the foregoing, the Director of Immigration acting in accordance with Section 20 of the Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573) has revoked the visas issued to the three South Africans. The Director has further ordered their repatriation to South Africa in line with Section 21 of the Immigration Act 2000 (Act 573).

Signed: DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION