OSLO- Nine members of a supposed Paralympic team from Ghana are missing in Norway after entering the country on allegedly forged documents and visas. The group, consisting of 11 individuals, aimed to stay in the European Union illegally, Schengen News reports. They were exposed when they failed to register for the Fjordkraft Bergen City Marathon, leading to alerts being sent to Schengen states and Ghanaian officials.
The group arrived in Oslo on April 25, 2024. According to Ghana’s Ministry of National Security, the whereabouts of nine team members remain unknown. One member, the coach, has died, and another was arrested while trying to flee to Sweden.
In response to the incident, the National Paralympic Committee of Ghana has indefinitely suspended two officials for their involvement in the visa fraud scheme.
The discovery of the fake team is expected to lead to stricter Schengen visa regulations for Ghanaians. Those deported will face entry bans. In 2023, Ghanaians applied for 45,421 Schengen visas, of which 23,400 were approved and 21,226 were rejected.
