A traveller, Emmanuel Eghan, and his agent, Emmanuel Ankamah Amaniampong, are demanding justice from the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Ghana Police Service following a wrongful arrest that has disrupted Eghan’s travel plans.
According to Mr. Amaniampong, the incident occurred on Friday, October 4, 2024, at Kotoka International Airport, when Mr. Eghan was preparing to travel to Dubai.
Despite successfully completing check-in and the immigration process, Eghan was unexpectedly approached by an immigration officer who claimed that his name appeared on a wanted list for fraud.
Mr. Amaniampong, speaking to Adom News, explained that his client had already obtained a criminal clearance certificate from the Ghana Police Service but the immigration officers did not verify this before making the arrest.
“They handed a brown envelope to a CID officer tasked with escorting us to the East Legon Police Station. Upon arrival, we insisted the envelope be opened to understand the charges, and it was revealed that a police report from 2020 indicated that Mr. Eghan had been previously arrested, questioned, and released,” Amaniampong stated.
The agent further explained that the 2020 police report should have resulted in Mr. Eghan’s name being removed from the wanted list, but the Ghana Immigration Service had failed to do so.
Mr. Eghan and his agent are now calling on the authorities to compensate him by purchasing a new ticket so he can continue his trip to Dubai, as his original ticket is now void.
Additionally, a lawyer has offered to assist them in suing the Ghana Immigration Service for wrongful arrest and mistreatment.
This follows a GIS officer’s refusal to cover the cost of a replacement ticket, even though the arrest was a mistake.
An officer at the East Legon Police Station confirmed the incident to Adom News and explained that the actual suspect, also named Emmanuel Eghan, was arrested in 2020 and resides in the UK.
The officer added that the real suspect holds a British passport, while the wrongfully arrested Mr Eghan was a first-time traveller.
The Ghana Immigration Service has stated that it is investigating the matter.
Adom News will provide updates as the story develops.