Visa fraud: UK Commission couldn’t prove I acted fraudulently – MP

The former Member of Parliament for the Asunafo South constituency in the Brong Ahafor Region, George Boakye has said the UK High Commissioner has failed to prove that he was indeed involved in any form of visa fraud.

The High Commission accused George Boakye and three other sitting MPs of engaging in various forms of visa related fraud.

Mr Boakye who felt he was being wrongfully accused subsequently wrote to the Commission demanding proof of his culpability.

He has received two separate responses from the High Commission but according to him, there was still no proof of his involvement in any fraud.

Mr. Boakye explained to Citi News that the commission has not been also able to prove that he used a diplomatic passport during the visa application process.

“I wrote to them and made them aware that I never used any diplomatic passport; I even sent them a copy of my passport to them. So they wrote back and told me that they never said that I used diplomatic passport and that they've not banned me for ten years. Then my lawyer wrote to them again asking them to show where in the visa application process we acted fraudulently and that was the reply we were expecting from them.”

“We got the reply on Tuesday and they didn't even say anything about it and neither did they say that they've rejected our application… I just wanted them to show my where I acted fraudulently and the reply I had from them on Tuesday didn't even touch and that issue. That was the most important thing. That is what I wanted to know from them,” he added.

Mr. Boakye’s alleged crime by UK High Commission

The British High Commissioner, Jon Benjamin earlier wrote a letter to the Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye about the four MPs who he said had been ban for ten years from the UK for allegedly engaging in visa fraud.

In the case of Mr. Boakye, the High Commissioner 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,” the statement added.

My daughter tricked me and overstayed
George Boakye had earlier lamented that his 37-year-old daughter tricked him into taking her to London under the pretext of going to see her uncle, but disappeared on their arrival in the UK.

According to him, although he knew he was being irresponsible by not reporting his daughter's disappearance once he couldn't find her, but he feared a report to security officials would have her incarcerated.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey & Felicia Osei/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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