Accra, Feb. 12, GNA - Four officers of the Ghana Immigration Service= (GIS), who rejected a bribe of GH¢4,000 from a gang of men who defraude= d two Iranian businessmen to escape arrest were on Friday honoured by the Service at a ceremony in Accra.

The gang led by Kenneth Kabutey, 42, included Ishmael Osman Amartey,= 52, interpreter, Osaka Bawa, 48, and Iking Freeman, a Liberian. The fifth= suspect is on the run.

They offered the bribe to the GIS officers to escape arrest. The GIS officers were Misbawu Yussif, Assistant Inspector, Richard D= ua, Assistant Immigration Officer II, Gideon Vanderpuije, Assistant Immigrati= on Officer I and Richard Asare Assistant Immigration Officer II. The four officers were dispatched by their superiors to arrest Kabute= y and his accomplices at their base near Kwashieman following a tip-off fro= m two Iranian nationals who they lured into the country to buy diamonds wor= th $40,000 without knowing the precious stone was fake.

The GIS officers were given letters of commendation and cash by Ms Elizabeth Adjei, Director of GIS, for their dedication and honesty to wor= k. She said the honour would encourage other officers, especially junior=

officers, to emulate the selfless officers.

On January 24, this year two Iranian nationals who had been lured by=

Kabutey and his group to buy diamonds in Ghana were returning to their country when they were held by GIS officials at the Kotoka International Airport for questioning. Screening of the two showed that they entered the country legally to= do business and the officials probed further to know the exact business they=

came to transact. The two said they came to purchase diamonds to the tune of $40,000 a= nd produced a document covering the diamonds. When the Immigration officials asked where the diamonds were the Iranians replied that the sellers had instructed them not to open the par= cel until they got to Tehran. This aroused the suspicion of the GIS officials who insisted that th= e parcel be opened. When the parcel was opened and the contents were closely examined th= ey found that the diamond was fake. The two led the GIS officials to arrest the suspects at their office=

near Kwashieman. The victims told investigators that it was the brother of Bawa, a footballer in Dubai, who introduced the suspects to them. Kabutey is in custody assisting in investigations while the others a= re on bail. 12 Feb. 10