In a startling revelation, a former inmate has disclosed the alarming extent to which officers within Nsawam Prison are allegedly involved in the sale and consumption of illegal substances.

Isaac Lartey, who hails from James Town, opened up about his experiences within the Nsawam prison, throwing light on a culture of drug trading that implicates not only inmates but also certain prison staff.

According to him, there is a deeply entrenched pattern of drug trafficking and usage, implicating prison officers at various levels.

Isaac Lartey, whose journey into Nsawam Prison happened due to a conviction for unlawful entry and theft in 2019, recently stepped forward to share the harrowing circumstances he encountered during his time behind bars.

“After I had served about three years out of the five, we were told that a chief order came that they should gather all the inmates with lesser years to complete the jail term. So, they wrote our names, each person had an officer and an inmate. I was assigned to a prison officer by the name Lance Corporal Ishmeal Afuakwa and was made a gang leader in the piggery at that prison,” he said.

The ex-convict proceeded to describe how he and three other inmates were granted certain privileges, including limited access to the outdoors.

He disclosed that, during their brief excursions, they engaged in the purchase of illegal substances, particularly 'wee' also known as weed' or cannabis.

Shockingly, he alleged that there were officers who were involved in selling these illicit drugs to inmates.

“They later brought two other guys. They were named Teye, Kumi and Thunder. So, we numbered up to four guys who worked in the piggery.

“We are allowed to go outside; the other three guys are used to going out and bringing things into the prison. I only got the opportunity to go out on the April 1, 2022. Usually, on holidays only the members of the OIC gang are allowed to go out, no other gang is allowed outside of the prisons.

“As we came out, we only bought weed that was being sold by the officers. They usually come there with a truck. In fact, most of the officers engage in the weed sales themselves.

“The other officers are aware that their colleagues are engaging in the sale of weed in the prisons. The officer at the gate is aware, the one in the visiting room is aware, and even the chief order is aware of the situation. The OIC is also aware, in fact, all the OICs and officers are aware of the sale and use of drugs in the prisons,” he explained.

Lartey's revelations extended to implicating the wives of prison officers, who reportedly operate drinking spots within the prison premises and are involved in drug trafficking as well.

“The wives of these officers are operating drinking spots in the prison, and they are selling these drugs.

“What I know is that anytime to go to a spot to buy alcohol, you are either served in their small cup or even in the sachet. But here, in a rubber and shea butter. This means that she is aware of what is going on,” the ex-convict noted.

He added that, “The two are given to you so that after taking the alcohol, you will wrap the weed in the rubber and use the shea butter to push it into your anus, then you take it to the yard,” he added.

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NW/WA

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