Akufo Addo’s South African Mercenaries Security trainers charged

The three South African ex-Police Officers who were arrested on Sunday for training private security personnel of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo Addo and his running mate Dr. Bawumia, have been charged.

The three, Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (rtd), 54; Warrant Officer Denver Dwayhe, 33, and Captain Mlungiseli Jokani, 45 have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and unlawful training.

Head of Nana Addo’s security team Captain (rtd) Edmund Koda and the owner of the EL-Capitano Hotel Captain (rtd) Acquah have also been charged.

They are expected to be arraigned on Thursday. The three ex-Police officers are still in BNI custody undergoing interrogation.

Officials of the South African High Commission have met the three to interrogate them.

The opposition NPP, which has admitted importing the three into the country, say it was important for their flagbearer and running mate to be protected ahead of this year’s election. We did no wrong – NPP A Deputy Director of Communications for the party, Perry Okudzeto on Tuesday told Citi News the growing popularity of the flagbearer and the running mate meant that they needed proper protection.

The continuous popularity of our flagbearer and running mate requires that our security detail is trained on how to handle crowd and are trained on crowd control techniques and that is simply what this is about. So it’s a licensed Ghanaian security company training our people with the help of consultants from South Africa,” Mr. Okudzeto explained.

Mr. Okudzeto stressed that the men were not being trained in weapon handling and that the alarm being created was needless. “They are here doing business and so what is the big deal about the people who invited them. Who said that they are being trained in weapon handling?

They are being trained in crowd control. And the Daily Graphic itself whatever the motive is has said that they were being trained in unarmed combat. Even me as an individual I can acquire a gun legally and get training on how to use it so it’s not a crime to train people in that, but that’s not the training they are being given.”

Deputy NPP Communications Director said there was nothing unusual about individuals or businesses employing the services of security firms to train security personnel as long as they do not flout any law. He said that is not only the responsibility of the Ghana Police Service.

“All the hundreds of security companies in Ghana that offer security services don’t need to get it from the Ghana Police Service. Aren’t there people who are bodyguards for individuals in this country? So a political figure cannot have his bodyguards trained? And this is published on a state newspaper and given front page as if people who have come into this country executing their mandate are criminals. I think the South African High Commission in Ghana must investigate this issue since their nationals are involved.”

The NDC has sought to create the impression that the NPP had brought in mercenaries to cause problems in the November polls.