UPDATE ON PARIS TERRORIST ATTACK

1. The Mission has investigated rumours that a Ghanaian youth, Otis Nuako was a casualty of the terrorist attacks that took place at the Stade de France in Paris on Friday, 13th November 2015. Initial indications are that the youth was not a victim of the terrorist attack at the Stade de France but that the story is mere speculation on the part of his parents because his death occurred around the same time as the terrorist attacks. Even though the story concerning how the alleged victim met his end is factually not true, it has been put on social media platforms and several people have called the Embassy to pass on this information claiming it to be true.

2. The Mission has enquired from a variety of high-level host government authorities that have all separately confirmed that there was only one victim outside the national stadium – a middle-aged white man. There was no stampede within the stadium and there were no casualties involving supporters within the stadium. The story that Otis Nuako died in a stampede at the Stade de France is therefore speculation at best.

3. Two representatives of the Mission visited the police station in St Denis this morning to enquire about the death of the young man. The police had no information whatsoever about the case. They then visited the home of the parents of the alleged deceased. Mr. Ahenkan, the father of the alleged victim, informed them that:

i. Otis Nuako, the 19 year old youth was his son who was born in France, was a French National and did not have a Ghanaian passport;

ii. The alleged victim did not live at the family home located in the 18th District on the periphery of Paris. He lived at a location which was unknown to them with friends they did not know. Consequently, they did not have any knowledge about his movements or whereabouts;

iii. On Sunday, 15th November, 2015, the local police came to their house and informed his wife, Adwoa Gyimah, who was home at the time that the alleged deceased had been admitted to a hospital in Saint Denis (the suburb in which the “Stade de France” is located).

iv. According to Ahenkan, his wife followed the police to the hospital where she was told that personnel of the French Ambulance Service brought her son to the hospital unconscious and reported that they found him lying in a street in Saint Denis, not far from the national stadium.

v. He further explained that she saw her son attached to life support systems but was told by the doctor that he was dead and therefore the life support needed to be switched of. The police informed his wife that they would get back to her after their investigations. According to him the police left no contacts – (most unusual in such a case!).

vi. The father stated that the following day the wife visited the hospital once again and was informed that the body had been moved to the “AP-HP Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpetrière” where such cases are sent, pending police investigations.

4. The report that Otis Nuako died from a stampede at the national stadium following the terrorist attacks is therefore unreliable, uncorroborated and clearly untrue. However it has rapidly spread within the Ghanaian community in France.

5. The Mission will continue to remain in close contact with the host authorities and update its report after investigations are over.

Source Ghana Embassy Paris

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