The New Forces spokesman and Belgian national, who was deported a few months ago, has levelled severe claims against the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Immigration Services.
Shalimar Abbuisi claims that some people, mostly foreigners, have been held in the custody of these two organisations without access to lawyers or the ability to make phone calls.
According to her, the rights of these individuals have been abused with impunity, and it was about time people spoke out against them.
She disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Dr. Ren sit-in for ‘As It Is in Ghana’ on Rainbow Radio 92.4FM in the United Kingdom.
The former beauty queen and philanthropist alleged she observed inhumane treatment of people held in the custody of the NIB and the Ghana Immigration Service.
“I think we have to shed light on certain issues, on human rights violations, because of what I have seen and what I have been exposed to. If this is what they are doing to me, how much are Africans and Ghanaians suffering every day? It is really important that we speak up and not be silenced. I want to be a voice for the voiceless and speak up for those who nobody is listening to.”
She described her experience as shocking, saying, “I was appalled that some people were sitting there for nine months without any legal representation, without a phone call, without anything for immigration issues, and I don’t think that was right.
After that, I was transferred to the National Intelligence Bureau, which was a more secluded cell with maximum security. I was there for seven days. And it was a horrible experience. People are not speaking about this because they are being silenced. I think it is my responsibility now to speak for those people because it is inhumane. The food was the least of my problems. There were feedings three times a day; they gave us gobe, banku, and tea with bread.
But the circumstances there were inhumane. There was no opportunity for me to change clothes; it was very dirty; there was just a thin mattress on the floor; there was just a small piece of soap to wash yourself; there was no cleaning underway. So it was just a big black bunker,” she added.
She is currently seeking legal remedy at the ECOWAS court for what she claims were human rights violations while in the custody of the Immigration Service and NIB.
“I am currently in the ECOWAS court fighting the violation of my human rights. I definitely think that will have a positive impact on my coming back to Ghana. After the elections, I am very keen on coming back to continue doing more. I don’t think it was just at all. If that were the case, I wouldn’t be fighting it in the ECOWAS court. There have been so many human rights violations throughout the whole process of my incarceration, from start to finish. I think we have to speak up about this.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
