1908786 (Refugee)

This matter concerned an application for a protection visa by a Ghanaian national. The applicant claimed to be a Christian farmer from the Ashanti ethnic group who had fled Ghana due to fear of persecution by Fulani herdsmen. The Tribunal was required to determine whether the applicant had a well-founded fear of persecution for a refugee nexus reason, or if he was owed complementary protection, or if he was a member of the same family unit as a non-citizen who was a refugee or owed complementary protection.

The Tribunal found that the applicant was not a reliable, credible, or truthful witness, noting significant inconsistencies in his evidence and the unpersuasive nature of key aspects of his claims. The Tribunal concluded that the applicant had a propensity to tailor his evidence to achieve his own purposes and had fabricated his claims for protection. Specifically, the Tribunal did not accept that the applicant had ever been targeted or threatened by the Fulani, nor that he feared harm from them. The Tribunal also found that the applicant had not been targeted because of his religious beliefs or practice, and that country information did not indicate otherwise.

Based on these findings, the Tribunal affirmed the decision under review. The Tribunal was of the view that the inconsistencies and other concerns identified fundamentally undermined the reliability and credibility of the applicant's account. The Tribunal did not accept that the applicant had been targeted or threatened by the Fulani, nor that he had left Ghana due to fear of harm. Furthermore, the Tribunal found no evidence that the applicant would lead or participate in demonstrations, or be targeted by the Fulani if he returned to Ghana now or in the foreseeable future.