3 ex SA cops declared equipment, paid duties

Contrary to suggestions that the three South African ex Police officers arrested by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) entered Ghana illegally, it has emerged that they complied with all the legal requirements.

The three, Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis, 54, (Rtd), WO/ Denver Dwayhe Naidu, 39, (Rtd) and 45-year-old Captain Mlungiseleli Jokani (Rtd) were arrested at the El-Capitano Hotel, at Agona Duakwa in the Central Region, while training fifteen young men in various military drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques and rapid response maneuvers.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has confirmed the 15 people being trained by three South African ex-police men are part of its security detail, but denied links to any treasonable motive.

Speaking on Peace FM Wednesday, the Acting General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu stated that the three availed themselves to immigration regulations, adding claims that they were training NPP boys surreptitiously was untrue and must be treated with contempt.

“We hear people making spurious allegations that these men have in their possession all sorts of dangerous weapons simply because they are to train our boys in weapon handlings and other military drills. This is not true; they declared all their equipment to be used for their operations here in Ghana to the relevant authorities. They came through the port and paid duties for their apparatus which include PT pants, skipping ropes, T shirts, golf shirts, socks, cargo pants, belts, sand bags, batons, training knives, cons, Trojan exercise wheel, paint ball guns, which has the inscription not lethal clearly stated on it. These equipment certainly are not dangerous.” John Boadu noted.

Meanwhile, officials of the South African High Commission in Ghana are expected to be granted access by the BNI to the three later Wednesday, after the High Commission wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking permission to have audience with their nationals.