Ghana repatriates remains of citizen killed in South Africa
Ghana has repatriated the remains of Bashiru Isak, a citizen killed in South Africa during recent xenophobic violence. The Ghanaian government is calling for a thorough investigation and an independent autopsy after disputes over the victim's identity.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing diplomatic tensions regarding the safety of foreign nationals and the handling of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
Ghana has repatriated the remains of a Ghanaian national who was killed in South Africa last month amid what officials describe as a wave of xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the victim was Bashiru Isak, a father of three who was shot dead in Khayelitsha, a township near Cape Town.
The ministry said Mr Isak’s remains arrived in Ghana on Tuesday, 14 July, and were received by family members and senior officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry before being transferred to the 37 Military Hospital.
Ghanaian officials said the identification of the deceased contradicted earlier claims by some South African authorities regarding the victim’s identity.
The ministry said the government, through Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria, facilitated the repatriation of the body with the consent of Mr Isak’s family.
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