Witness in murder of Ghanaian in SA has gone into hiding over safety fears - Quashie

Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Anani Quashie, has disclosed that the key witness in the murder of a Ghanaian national in South Africa has gone into hiding over fears for his life, complicating efforts to prosecute those responsible.

Speaking on The Key Points on TV3 on July 4, 2026, Quashie said the witness, a Zimbabwean national who was working alongside the deceased when the incident occurred has refused to make himself available to investigators because he fears he could be targeted if he testifies.

According to the High Commissioner, the witness is considered crucial to establishing the circumstances surrounding the killing.

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"Fortunately, one gentleman, a Zimbabwean who was working with the deceased, was in the shop when the incident happened. We have been told that he is the person we are looking for to become a state witness in the case," Quashie said.

"He has also absconded. We've tried reaching him, and he has told us that if he comes to testify, he knows his life will be in danger," he said.

Quashie disclosed that lawyers at the Ghana High Commission are working with South African authorities to secure witness protection for the man to enable him to testify.

"The lawyers from the High Commission are working hard with the courts in South Africa so that he can be placed under witness protection and be able to corroborate what happened on that very day," he stated.

The High Commissioner explained that investigations into the killing have been challenging because many Ghanaians living in Cape Town are reluctant to provide information due to fears for their safety.

"When the murder happened, because the High Commission is in Pretoria, we quickly dispatched officers to establish the facts. We found it difficult to get information because many Ghanaians in Cape Town were afraid to come forward," he said.

Quashie noted that the High Commission initially had to rely on information from the South African Police Service while conducting its own investigations into the incident.

He also expressed concern over ongoing anti-immigration demonstrations in Pretoria, saying many Ghanaian-owned businesses remain closed as a precaution.

According to him, demonstrators have indicated they intend to continue staging protests every Thursday, a development that continues to heighten anxiety among migrant communities in South Africa.

He urged the South African authorities to maintain adequate security to protect the lives and property of both citizens and foreign nationals amid the continuing demonstrations.

Bashiru Isak, a 40-year-old Ghanaian tailor, was shot dead in Cape Town, South Africa, during anti-immigrant protests on June 30, 2026.

He reportedly lived and worked in South Africa for about two decades and was killed inside his shop in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, amid anti-immigrant demonstrations targeting foreign nationals.

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