Judge to rule on Ghanaian jailed at IDC on Monday

JUSTICE Ricky Rahim will on Monday rule on the continued detention of a Ghanaian man jailed for immigration problems for almost two years.

Samuel Asante was brought to the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain by immigration officials for today's hearing. He is asking for his release from the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) where he has been since 2017.

Asante, in pleading for his release, said he missed his wife and family in Trinidad and his detention had taken a toll on them.

He also said the conditions at the IDC were terrible as the toilets and showers did not work well and drinking water and toiletries were scarce.

“The place is very hot and dusty, we don’t have air conditioning, just some old vents. The place is too crowded and dirty. Food is disgusting and not enough. We at the centre get sick often and only get Panadol as medicine for every disease,” he said in an affidavit filed in support of his application.

The Ghanian has been at the IDC since 2017 and was expected to be deported on January 28, 2018. He allegedly registered as an asylum seeker with the UN Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in October 2018, and that was refused on March 22 this year. This, according to the court documents filed in support of his application for his freedom.

On June 13, Prime Minister Dr Rowley agreed to the release of the sole Ghanian at the IDC after meeting with Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo during an official state visit to TT.

Dr Rowley also announced a pardon for jailed Nigerians, similar to the amnesty granted to Venezuelans earlier that month.

At a joint-media briefing with Akufo-Addo, the Prime Minister said Africans at the IDC would be allowed to register once there were no criminal matters against them. Rowley said there were a few Nigerians at the IDC who were there for quite some time and only one Ghanaian.