Five Immigration officers serving at the Aflao Sector Command in the Ketu South municipality of the Volta Region have been interdicted for allegedly taking bribes and facilitating illegal entries of seven foreign nationals into the country through unapproved routes.
They are Assistant Inspector (Asst. Insp.) Isaac Ahiafor Agbeyenyega, Asst. Insp. Sarah Adubea, Immigration Control Officer (ICO) Juliana Anning, ICO Jennifer Owusu Ansah and Recruit Officer (R.O) Joyce Nketia.
A statement issued by Superintendent Michael Amoako-Atta,
Head of Public Affairs of GIS in Accra on Friday said Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi interdicted the officers on Thursday.
“Investigation into the matter has commenced in earnest with the five officers, soon, appearing before the Major Entry Point Disciplinary Committee of the Service,” it said.
According to the statement, “unprofessional conduct” was in breach of the Immigration Service regulations and constitute an offence under section 52(1) (a) of the Immigration Act, 2000 [ACT 573] which states that a person who aids or assist any person to enter Ghana in contravention of this Act commits an offence”.
Additionally, it said their actions are in breach of the President’s directive on border closure which is backed by the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), the primary legal instrument in the government’s fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
The statement said the foreign nationals were intercepted at Pillar 4B at Aflao by the patrol team of the Command and upon interrogation disclosed that they were aided into the country by the Immigration officers after paying monies ranging from 3,000 CFA to 5,000 CFA.
An identification parade was then conducted for Immigration officers at the Command and the foreign nationals identified these officers in question.
Ghana’s air, sea and land borders were closed to human traffic on Sunday, March 22, 2020, following an order by President Akufo-Addo as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has since has not yet opened the borders. Stranded Ghanaians being evacuated were under a 14-day mandatory quarantine.
BY TIMES REPORTER
