An Indian business man who was illegally deported by the Interior Minister has been detained by Immigration Officers on his return to Ghana, Wednesday.

Ashok Kumar Sivaram touched down at the Kotoka International Airport at 2:30 pm only to be detained for no reason, his lawyer Gary Nimako has said.

The business man sued the Interior Minister Ambrose Dery and the head of Immigration for illegally deporting him out of the country.

In the deportation order, Sivaram was accused of acquiring a “forged marriage certificate in support of his application for citizenship in Ghana.”

He was bundled out of the country on June 1, 2017 and has since been fighting his deportation through his lawyer who is based in Ghana.

An Accra High Court in a ruling on July 31, stated Kumar Sivaram was illegally deported out of the country and ordered the two defendants to ensure his safe return to Ghana.

The ruling notwithstanding, the business man has been detained by Immigration at the Kotoka International Airport and is likely to spend the night there.

His lawyer told Myjoyonline.com, he is surprised at the conduct of the Interior Minister.

He said several attempts to get his client released from detention have proven futile. Not even the court order quashing the detention could change the minds of the Immigration Officers to release Mr Sivaram, the lawyer intimated.

Officials at the Immigration Service have been unavailable for comment.

Gary Nimako told Myjoyonline.com officials at the Immigration say they are not happy with the court’s decision to quash the deportation order.

He reported the officers as saying they will appeal the decision made by the High Court.

While respecting their decision and rights to an appeal, Gary Nimako said they do not have the right to detain his client in flagrant violation of the court’s decision.

“It is so illegal. I am surprised at their behavior,” he stated.  

At the very least they can begin the appeal processes and request a stay of execution, he pointed out but was quick to add that in the absence of that, the officers are being lawless.

He wants his client to be released as soon as possible

The Interior Minister has been unavailable for comment as well despite several efforts to get in touch with him.