I've not committed visa fraud - Boakye

A former Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, George Boakye, has denied engaging in acts amounting to visa fraud for which a 10-year travel ban to the UK has been imposed on him by the British High Commission in Accra.

According to him, he cannot be blamed for visa fraud just because his adult daughter overstayed her permit in the UK.

In a letter written by his lawyer, Kwabena Asare Atuah, to the British High Commission, Mr Boakye said he did not abuse his privileges and responsibilities as a diplomatic passport holder, contrary to the allegations levelled against him by High Commissioner Mr Jon Benjamin in his letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye.

The letter said the purpose of the legislator’s visit to the UK with his 37-year-old daughter was a private one. “My client returned as scheduled. His daughter, who is an adult, failed to return as scheduled. My client cannot in anyway be blamed because his adult daughter overstayed her entry permit into the UK,” it stated.

The letter further said Mr Boakye and his daughter, Joyce, applied for the visas separately. The visa applications, according to the lawyer, were independent of each other, just that Mr Boakye indicated he would be travelling with his daughter who is an adult.

“My client was contacted. He explained to you that he left the UK when the daughter failed to return home after waiting for days as his entry permit had almost expired. Your high office, in the interest of justice and fairness, should have put out the true story and not the allegations you have made against my client,” the letter added, further noting:

“My client has not engaged in any form of visa fraud. All documents presented by my client were genuine and he made the application directly to the UK High Commission and not through any supposed third party. He has not abused the privileges and responsibilities as a diplomatic passport holder.”

To this end Mr Boakye has requested that the British High Commission reverse any travel ban imposed on him. He has threatened to use all legal means to appeal against any decision to impose a travel ban on him to the UK and also clear his name if the High Commission fails to do so.

Mr Boakye and three sitting MPs: Richard Acheampong, MP for Bia East in the Western Region; Joseph Benhazin Dahah, MP for Asutifi North (Ntotroso) in the Brong Ahafo Region; Johnson Kwaku Adu, MP for Ahafo Ano South West in the Ashanti Region, have been banned from entering the UK for 10 years for alleged visa fraud.

A letter indicting Mr Boakye written by Mr Benjamin to the Speaker of parliament said: “On 11/09/2012, the then Honourable and now former MP for Asunafo South, George BOAKYE, applied for visas for himself and his 37-year-old daughter, Joyce BOAKYE, to visit a friend in London for 17 days. The visas were granted on 14/09/2012. On 17/01/2013, Joyce BOAKYE travelled to the UK with her Honourable father.

Joyce BOAKYE did not leave the UK with her father, but remained until 06/01/2017. In other words, she finally returned to Ghana just this month, having been in the UK illegally for over three years, and only then at our strong urging of Mr Boakye to bring her back.

Mr Boakye is highly unlikely to be issued any further visas to visit the UK in the next ten years for his role in facilitating his daughter's travel to the UK, including should he be re-elected to Parliament in a subsequent election.”