A brother of the Lebanese business, Mahran Mustapha Baajour who was reportedly held for months in Ghan has expressed shock over the bizarre circumstances under which Mahran disappeared when he allegedly arrived at the Kotoka International Airport.
According to Azaam Baajour, it is difficult to understand why his brother was abducted because there has been no proper explanation.
Mahran Mustapha Baajour, 39, is a Lebanese businessman of Palestinian origin who reportedly arrived in Ghana from Lebanon on a business visit on December 13, 2018, and was not seen in public. His three-month alleged abduction has already evoked major protests in Beirut, Lebanon where petitions have been presented to that nation’s President and the Speaker of their Parliament.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Tuesday, Azaam Baajour confirmed that his brother has lost weight and was unable to speak but was receiving medical treatment.
“[He has committed no crime], this is not his first time to arrive in Ghana so it is therefore very difficult for me to understand what happened to him. He is a business man who travels to many countries; he has no problems in any country. [He is not even on any wanted list] So this is surprising to us, what happened in Ghana.”
“On Monday I spoke to him, he sounded sick and tired – when he appeared at the Airport the Lebanese officials made him answer some questions on the details of his case in Ghana. He is in the hospital, he cannot talk and has lost 25 kilograms because of how he was tortured, but he is a free man”, the worried brother noted.
Ghana government attitude towards Mahran Baajour’s abduction repugnant – Minority
The Minority in Parliament has in the past days criticized the Akufo-Addo government’s silence on the abduction and disappearance of Mahran Mustapha Baajour.
According to the Minority, what happened can be described as a human rights violation and was creating waves in the international community.
The Minority stated that government must act with urgency as the unresolved assassination of the investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale among other issues has the international community questioning Ghana’s human rights record.
“After all three were kept in detention for six days in violation of Ghanaian law, our understanding is that Mahran’s two hosts, one Razak Abdul and another were then released as free men while Mahran was kept in detention. This is the reason Mahran’s family and officials from his country are having a hard time believing denials and claims of innocence by Ghanaian Government officials they have contacted”.
“Our monitoring of international media including Al-Jazeera which has already broadcasted two stories on this matter confirms that another petition demanding the release of Mahran addressed to the Ghanaian Government has been presented to our Consular Officer in Lebanon where another protest was staged with protesters carrying banners which read: “Mahran is in your prisons, their statement added.
Claims of Lebanese national’s abduction in Ghana false – Majority
Meanwhile, the majority in Parliament has denied the abduction and disappearance allegations levelled against the Government of Ghana.
The Majority in a statement signed by a Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, John Ntim Fordjour, however, debunked the claims, saying credible checks at the National Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs “affirm beyond a doubt that no such person had arrived at the Kotoka International Airport.”
“It is abundantly clear that the claims of the Minority are false, unfounded and holds no truth. More so, failure on the part of the Ranking Member and the Minority to verify the facts with the relevant agencies prior to the release of the statement smacks of a deliberate attempt to cause disaffection for the image and reputation of Ghana as they have often sought to do,” portions of the statement added.
Source: citinewsroom.com