Two Swiss, Liberian detained, As Immigration Authorities Get Tough

Accra,(Greater Accra Region) Oct. 14 The immigration authorities last night detained a Liberian deportee and two Swiss police escorts at Kotoka International Airport after refusing them entry. Mr Oppong Ansu-Gyeabour, Assistant Director of Immigration in charge of the airport, the deportee, Mr Jacob Sackor, is not a Ghanaian. The Swiss escorts, Mr Christian Rufer and Mr Beat Rufer, were denied entry because there was no document indicating that the deportee they were bringing to Ghana is a Ghanaian. Mr Ansu-Gyeabour said the detention of the escorts was aimed at stopping some European countries from ''dumping non-Ghanaian nationals illegally residing in their countries into Ghana''. He said Mr Sackor's travelling document was issued by the Swiss Authorities and not Ghana's mission in Switzerland. He said since there is no proof that Sackor is a Ghanaian and he himself claims to be a Liberian, he cannot be allowed entry into Ghana. Mr Sackor, 32, who has been living in Switzerland as an asylum seeker for the past four years, said he is legally married to a Swiss woman with whom he has one child. He was arrested about a year ago for staying illegally in Switzerland and has been kept in detention ever since. The deportee gave the names of his parents as Mr Mamadi Sackor and Madam Hawa Komara, both Liberians. Mr Rufer said they were only carrying out their duty as police escorts and that Mr Sackor had divorced his wife four months ago and was living in Switzerland illegally. He admitted that the travelling certificate was not issued by Ghana's mission in Switzerland and that they were ignorant of that procedure. The three are to be deported back to Switzerland tonight. In a telephone interview, Mr K. Hodari-Okae, Deputy Director of Immigration (Operations), reminded countries which deport other Africans to Ghana to cross-check their nationalities before doing so. He said any deportee brought in without the necessary documentation would be sent back with their escorts on the same flight. Mr Hodari-Okae also reminded foreign businessmen who come to Ghana to comply with the laws of Ghana since any violation would not be taken lightly. He cautioned Ghanaians who assist foreigners to break immigration laws to desist from the act since they would not be spared when caught. A similar case involving one Mr Jojo Francoise from Guadeloupe is still unresolved and he has been kept at the Osu police station for the past two years.