Former Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, has questioned Canada's decision to deny a visa to Ghanaian footballer Thomas Partey, arguing that the move appears to conflict with the legal principle of the presumption of innocence.

Partey is set to miss Ghana's opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday after Canadian authorities reportedly rejected his visa application.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who now plays for Spanish side Villarreal, is currently facing multiple rape and sexual assault charges in the United Kingdom. However, he has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and is yet to stand trial.

Speaking on JoyNews' The Pulse on Tuesday, June 16, Mr Tuah-Yeboah noted that both Ghana and Canada operate under the British common law system, which upholds the principle that an individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.

According to him, the decision to deny Partey entry into Canada raises important questions about the application of that long-established legal doctrine.

“When I read that story, I asked myself, where lies the presumption of innocence?” he said.

“That presumption of innocence is part of the common law tradition we inherited from England. If Canada is part of the Commonwealth and practises common law, then it also subscribes to the principle of presumption of innocence.”

Mr Tuah-Yeboah stressed that the mere fact that Partey is facing criminal prosecution does not amount to a finding of guilt.

“The fact that Partey is undergoing prosecution in the UK does not mean that he is guilty,” he added.

He further suggested that if Canadian law permits the exclusion of individuals solely because they are facing criminal charges, then such provisions should be reviewed.

“By their decision, it means that so long as you are undergoing criminal prosecution anywhere, you cannot enter Canada. If that is what their laws provide, then I think they must review them. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of the principle of innocence until proven guilty,” he argued.

His comments follow reports that Partey was unable to travel from Ghana’s training base in the United States to Canada for the Black Stars’ opening Group L fixture after his visa application was rejected by Canadian authorities.

Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana is reportedly pursuing legal action to challenge the decision.

READ ALSO: Ghana challenges Partey’s visa denial in court