Ghana Businessman Wins Case in Bahamas

After being charged with failing to declare more than $10,000 they allegedly had with them prior to boarding a flight to the United States back in 2007, 40-year-old Ghana native Francis Kantanka and 34-year-old Bahamian-born Brian Ambrose were both recently freed of those charges. Court documents show that back in September 2007, Kantanka, a Blue Hill Road resident and Ambrose, a resident of Lynden Pindling Estates went to the Lynden Pindling International Airport with the intention to travel to the United States on a pre-clearance flight.

It was further alleged that the two handed over declaration documents to a United States officer stating that they were not carrying currency or monetary instruments valued over $10,000 in U.S. currency or a foreign equivalent, knowing that they were carrying more.

While the men were subsequently charged on two counts - making a false declaration to an officer of the United States and failing to declare - on March 11th, both charges were later dropped.

After fighting for more than a year, Kantanka, who was represented by attorney Wellington E. Olander, recently told The Bahama Journal that even though he has won his case, the charges continue to haunt him.

Kantanka, who has been in the Bahamas since 1999, claimed that while the charges have been dropped, back in his home town Ghana, he is constantly harassed about the charges he believes should no longer stand.

Kanatanka further alleges that traveling outside The Bahamas, particularly to the United States and Canada, has become increasingly difficult.

He recalled a recent trip to Cuba, where he claimed authorities held him for three hours without any explanation. Kantanka said he strongly believes it had something to do with the previous case.

The Ghana native said while family and friends back in his hometown may look at him as a disgrace, he is hoping to have his named fully cleared with a view towards mending things.