The High Court in Accra (Labour Division) has struck out two applications filed by 11 US deportees, including one seeking an interlocutory injunction to stop the government of Ghana from deporting them to their respective countries.
The applicants, from different West African countries, alleged unlawful detention in their substantive writ seeking enforcement of their fundamental human rights.
The two interim applications—an ex-parte Habeas Corpus and an interlocutory injunction—were withdrawn after the court was informed on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, that the deportation had already taken place over the weekend, rendering them moot.
Lead Counsel for the Applicants, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, told the Court: “We have to inform the Court that the persons whose human rights we were seeking to enforce were all deported over the weekend, and as such our applications have become moot.”
He submitted that “this is precisely the injury we were trying to prevent,” and “in the circumstance, we have no choice than to withdraw the applications before the Court as being moot.”
Counsel further stated that “as the Court has recognised the national and international interest in this matter, several more refugee seekers have been brought in pursuant to the agreement between the government and the US authorities.”
He added that “if urgent applications of this nature are not treated with the sensitivity required, our courts would be disabled from doing justice.”
By Court
The presiding Judge, Justice Priscilla Dikro Ofori, who had earlier asked that the ex-parte motions be brought on notice, expressed displeasure over the deportation of US deportees to Ghana after their lawyers withdrew an injunction application, rendering it moot due to the deportees’ removal over the weekend.
“I have perused the necessary orders and, considering the fact that the case is of national and international interest, it is my view that it would be in the interest of justice for the two motions ex parte to be brought on notice to the Respondents for consideration,” the Court said.
“However, counsel for the Applicants informed the Court that the persons on whose behalf the applications have been brought were deported over the weekend, making the applications before the Court moot…
“The Court is however not happy with the news of the deportation of the persons on whose behalf the instant applications are before the Court.”
In view of that, “the two motions ex parte for interim injunction and for writ of habeas corpus, and the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed on September 19, 2025, are hereby struck out as withdrawn.”
Although the interim applications have been struck out, the substantive matter regarding the enforcement of fundamental human rights of the applicants remains pending.
Background
The 11 applicants filed the legal action at the Human Rights Division of the High Court in Accra against the government of Ghana, alleging unlawful detention. The applicants, who were previously held in immigration detention in the United States and granted protection against removal by U.S. immigration courts, claimed their fundamental human rights had been violated.
They are seeking enforcement of their fundamental human rights under Article 33(1) of the Constitution, 1992, and are praying the Court to afford them urgent and effective protection consistent with Ghana’s constitutional and international obligations.
Applicants
The applicants include: The applicants -Daniel Osas Aigbosa (Nigerian National), Kalu John (Liberian National), Zito Yao Bruno (Togolese National), Sidiben Dawda (Gambian National), Ahmed Animashaun (Nigerian National) and Toure Dianke (Malian National).
The rest are – Taiwo K. Lawson (Nigerian National), Agouda Richarla (Togolese National), Oukpedzo Sikiratou (Togolese National), Boubou Gassama (Malian National), Ifeanyi Okechukwu (Nigerian National).
