Ghana Immigration Service hit with over GHC910,000 damages over wrongful arrest, detention of man

The Accra High Court has awarded over GHC 910,000 in damages in favor of Mr. Kwabena Baffour Asare against the Ghana Immigration Service for wrongful arrest and detention.

Additionally, the court awarded the plaintiff GHC 50,000 as a cost.

Per the facts of the case, the plaintiff, a Ghanaian resident in Berlin, Germany, was in Ghana in May 2022 for his mother’s funeral. 

When he decided to return on June 17, 2022, he was prevented by immigration officials for allegedly being on the ‘wanted persons’ list. 

He was thus taken to the head office and was later handed over to the police, taken to the Adenta Police Station for his statement, and was later released when they noticed that he was not on the wanted persons list.

After this incident, he tried going through pre-boarding procedures at the airport to leave for Germany but was once again stopped by immigration officials for the same reason. He was not allowed to travel until June 20, 2022.

The plaintiff therefore, per his counsel, Reindhorf Twumasi Ankrah, filed a suit against the Attorney General and the Immigration Service, claiming, among others, that the immigration officers acted negligently, unlawfully, and averred an abuse of his right.

Therefore, in its judgment, on January 16, 2025, the High Court, presided over by Justice Ayitey Armah-Tetteh, upheld the plaintiff’s claims and thus awarded damages and costs as follows:

General damages of GHC 650,000 for negliegence and unjustifiable violation of the plaimtiffs.

Loss of earnings of GHC 250,000

Special damages of GHC 10,000

Costs of GHC 50,000 in favor of Plaintiff