Former Deputy Attorney General Dr Dominic Ayine has dared the NPP government to deport the Gitmo 2 if it deems fit.
The former Deputy Attorney General in the erstwhile Mahama administration, stated that, the Gitmo two were granted refugee status because they comported themselves in a befitting manner during their stay in the country.
He stated that, if the NPP had a contrary view, they “now have the executive power so they should do whatever they want.”
Dr Dominic Ayine’s comments comes in reaction to a statement made on the floor of Parliament on January 24, 2018 by the Foreign minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botwey, suggesting that the past NDC government granted a refugee status to the Gitmo 2 nationals, before the end of their mandatory two year stay in Ghana, hence making it practically impossible to return the Gitmo two.
Dr Dominic Ayine noted that, much as no exit plan was put out in the agreement, both parties knew the deal was to last after two years.
According to Ayine, “If they are saying their hands are tight because we granted them refugee status our refugee laws is very clear if you read section 15 and 17 of the refugee law, a refugee status can be withdrawn and you don’t need the agreement of the refugee in order to withdraw the refugee.”
The Gitmo 2, Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, who were alleged members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda were detained for 14 years at the Guantanamo Bay prison.
They were then moved to Ghana after President Obama moved to close down the detention centre, which is known to have had a questionable human rights record over the years.