The government of Ghana has repatriated the mortal remains of Bashiru Isak, the Ghanaian national who died after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds during the wave of anti-immigrant protests that erupted in parts of South Africa on 30 June 2026.
The Ministry revealed that Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria, with the consent of the bereaved family, facilitated the repatriation of the deceased, whose remains arrived in Accra on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, at 6:40 p.m.
The repatriation comes amid an ongoing diplomatic row between Ghana and South Africa over the circumstances surrounding Mr. Isak’s death. The Ministry maintained that assertions by South African authorities disputing Ghana’s account of the incident do not align with the information available to the Government of Ghana.
South African authorities had earlier stated that the deceased, whom they identified as Michael Boahen, 35, was fatally shot in Nyanga, not Khayelitsha, and that the killing was linked to an alleged extortion-related incident rather than violence associated with the anti-illegal immigration protests.
However, Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained that the deceased was Bashiru Isak and reiterated its position that his death occurred within the context of the anti-immigrant unrest that has gripped parts of South Africa in recent weeks.
The Ministry further disclosed that although an autopsy was conducted by the South African authorities, the report has not yet been released to Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria.
Consequently, the Government has initiated arrangements for an independent autopsy in Ghana, with the mortal remains deposited at the 37 Military Hospital pending further forensic examination.
The Ministry noted that Mr. Isak’s burial, which is expected to be conducted in accordance with Islamic customs, was delayed after the family consented to the Government’s request to allow post-mortem examinations in South Africa to support investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Reaffirming its commitment to securing justice, the Ministry called for expedited investigations, the arrest of those responsible and their prosecution, stressing that every aspect of the case must be thoroughly examined.
“The Government of Ghana renews its demand for justice. We expect expedited investigations, arrests and prosecution. There must be no room for silence or cover-ups in the gruesome killing of Mr. Isak,” the Ministry said.
The repatriation follows recent remarks by South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, who also chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration, insisting that no deaths were recorded during the nationwide anti-irregular migration protests of 30 June 2026, a position that contrasts sharply with Ghana’s account of Mr. Isak’s death.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria has announced plans to begin the voluntary evacuation of distressed Ghanaian nationals who have registered to return home, as anti-immigrant vigilante groups continue door-to-door operations targeting undocumented migrants and weekly demonstrations against illegal immigration persist in several South African communities.
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