Chief Imam
The Advisory Board of the Office of the National Chief Imam has disclaimed “a visa racketeering scandal involving some questionable characters parading as staff of the Office.”
Narrating the events leading to the scandal, the Advisory Board states that “it all began when His Eminence, on the advice of his doctor, intended to seek medical attention in the US and decided to travel with three persons in his residence. One of them, Abdur Rahman Umar Farooq, nicknamed ‘Paa’, then manufactured a list of additional five people totaling nine applicants for visas.”
Continuing, the disclaimer, authored and signed by the Personal Aide to the Chief Imam, Dr. Mohammed Marzuq Abubakari Azindoo, stated that “what is more disgusting to the Advisory Board is that the ‘Gang of Six’ comprising Paa and his cohorts have impersonated some office holders in the outfit of the National Chief Imam.”
For instance, Paa has deceptively presented himself as Secretary to His Eminence, the disclaimer went on, adding that the gang included the name of Sergeant Razak Giwah, bodyguard to the National Chief Imam who has been impersonated by another fictitious character.
The Advisory Board, dismayed by the turn of events, according to the disclaimer, “distances the Office of the National Chief Imam from this criminal enterprise and calls on:
- The US Embassy to treat the outright criminality with the disdain it deserves. In case of any immigration violation by any of the suspicious characters and their assigns, the Office of the National Chief Imam cannot be held responsible
- The Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the obnoxious deal and take appropriate action in the interest of fairness and justice
- All Embassies, High Commissions, and Consulates to be wary of the “Gang of Six” as well as their assigns, and to handle them in line with the norms of consular integrity and international diplomacy.”
The Advisory Board has promised to follow this matter to its logical conclusion to safeguard the image of His Eminence, maintain the healthy relations with the Diplomatic Community, and enhance public confidence in the Office of the National Chief Imam.