Ghana Embassy, Riyadh
PRESS STATEMENT
No Ghanaian Pilgrim Arrested with Cocaine in Makkah – Ghana Embassy, Riyadh Riyadh, November 19, 2015 – It has come to the attention of the Ghana Embassy in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with regards to news making rounds in Ghana that one of the pilgrims who died during the stampede at Mina near Makkah, during the 2015 Hajj Pilgrimage died not as a result of the stampede but rather was arrested with narcotic drugs and was hanged to death. We wish to state categorically that this information is false and has no any basis whatsoever.
The number of Ghanaians who died as a result of the stampede at Mina currently stands at Seventeen (17), with Three (3) pilgrims still missing. During the entire duration of the Hajj Pilgrimage, Eight (8) Ghanaian Pilgrims died as a result of natural causes not related to the stampede at Mina. The Saudi Ministry of Health undertook DNA profiling of all unidentified pilgrims to match with DNA samples of family members of the stampede victims. So far only One (1) Ghanaian family has sent DNA sample to possibly match with the body of a famous Ghanaian Hajj Agent who also died during the stampede, Alhaji Abdul Salam Abubakar, popularly known as Great Anyas. No Ghanaian pilgrim was arrested with narcotics and was hanged to death. The Ghana Embassy, therefore, wishes to appeal to the good people of Ghana to disregard such negative information and publication which only seeks to tarnish the good image of the victims mentioned. It is our hope that the media will rightly inform the general public on this issue.
—SIGNED—- H.E. Alhaji Said Sinare Ambassador [email protected]
Source: GhanaWeb
