The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) says repatriation of the three South African ex-Police officers Tuesday became necessary because the South African nationals concealed the true motive of their visit to the country.
Such conduct, according to the BNI is a breach of Section 52(1) (e) and (i) of the Immigration Act 2000.
A statement issued and signed by the GIS Director, said the security drills conducted by the three foreign ex-servicemen in the Central region contradicts the stated purpose known to the GIS in relation to their declaration at the Immigration.
“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 three South African security trainers who were in the country to work on the security detail of main opposition leader Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have been deported Tuesday.
The trio were flown out of Accra Tuesday morning via South African Airways flight number 210, which departed around 9:26 to Johannesburg.
The three including Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (rtd), 54; Warrant Officer Denver Dwayhe, 33, and Captain Mlungiseli Jokani, 45 would be met on arrival in South Africa by the country’s officials.
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.
- The series of meetings indicated in the invitation letters, on the strength of which the visas were issued, were to be held in Accra with the two organizations.
- 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.
- 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
