The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it has asked lawyers for three South Africans being held by Ghana’s Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for security offence to file contempt charges against the state security body for flouting a bail directive given by the court.
The three, Chris Hazis, 54, also known as Major Ahmed Shaik (rtd); WO/Denver Dwayhe Naidu (rtd), 39; and Captain Mlungiseleli Jokani (rtd), 45, were picked up last week at the El Capitano Hotel at Agona Duakwa in the Central region.
The BNI said the men were engaged in activities that undermine national security.
But the NPP rejected the accusation, stating that the men were brought in to train 15 members of the party in various security drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques, and rapid response manoeuvres.
They have been charged with false declaration and unlawful training and put before the Accra Circuit court last Thursday.
Although they were granted bail of GHS 20,000 each with sureties, the BNI still kept them in its custody.
The situation has angered the NPP, which has accused the BNI of promoting lawlessness and showing contempt for the judiciary.
“We’ve asked their lawyers to first of all file habeas corpus and also to press contempt charges against the BNI…” NPP’s Youth Organiser, Sammy Awuku, told Accra-based Class FM on Monday.
“The court of law said that you grant them bail, but you can withhold their passports. The BNI disregarded the orders of the court…this thing has the tendency of heightening diplomatic tensions between Ghana and South Africa,” he said.
