Government paid Israeli firm US$2 million for spy work in 2021 - Bright Simons

Wed, 2 Aug 2023 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Vice President of IMANI-Africa in charge of Research and Education, Bright Simons has alleged that the government of Ghana in 2021 paid over $2 million to an Israeli spy company.

According to Simons, the government in the name of fight against cybercrime paid in excess of $2 million to Rayzone which specialises in spy technology.

“In the name of fighting cybercrime, the govt of Ghana paid more than $2 million in 2021 to an Israeli company, Rayzone, which specialises in tapping phones, snooping on people & advanced spyware. Recall that officials of the prev[ious] govt (government) were jailed for bungling a similar deal,” Bright Simons shared in a Twitter post on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

Meanwhile, a report by Bloomberg in May 2023, accused Rayzone Group of using information intended for marketers to help authorities track people through their mobile phones with a product called Echo.

According to the report, an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the UK Guardian revealed that the private Israeli intelligence firm exploited a loophole in a mobile phone network to enable their clients track people around the world.

The investigation established that Rayzone gained access to a global messaging system that allowed the company to “geolocate” mobile phone users across the world.

The activities of Rayzone have raised concerns by data protection activists who say the company is illegally aiding governments to invade the privacy of members of the public.

In the name of fighting cybercrime, the govt of Ghana paid more than $2 million in 2021 to an Israeli company, Rayzone, which specialises in tapping phones, snooping on people & advanced spyware. Recall that officials of the prev govt were jailed for bungling a similar deal. pic.twitter.com/WVjGrYlQAM
— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) August 2, 2023