General News of Wednesday, 13 March 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

How CCTV footage exposed prison officers who aided Chinese national to escape – Report

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Two prison officers are facing charges at the Accra Circuit Court for aiding the escape of a Chinese convict, Wang Xiao, from the Nsawam Medium Prison, according to a citinewsroom.com report.

Joseph Oteng and Sergeant Isaac Boateng Bonsu are facing charges of conspiracy and aiding escape, according to a charge sheet filed by police prosecutor, Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, during the court proceedings.

The prosecutor stated that on February 7, 2024, Oteng and Bonsu were tasked with escorting Wang Xiao to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.

However, after Xiao was treated at the hospital's Dental Department, the two officers purportedly agreed to accompany him to the Oceans Hotel in Korle Gonno, under the pretense of meeting his wife, in exchange for a reward of GH¢1,000.

The prosecutor added that Oteng and Bonsu facilitated Xiao's meeting with his alleged wife in a hotel room. Subsequently, Xiao and his supposed wife escaped via the hotel room's balcony while the officers waited in the reception area.

The prosecution revealed that, upon discovering Xiao's escape, the accused officers attempted to conceal evidence by hiding the handcuffs at Tema Station Hockey Stadium.

They then allegedly misled their superiors at the prison, claiming that Xiao had escaped after being approached by an unregistered Toyota Vitz taxi.

However, their attempts to cover up the incident were controverted when CCTV footage from the hotel was made available.

The report added that, during investigations, the accused led police to the hotel and a review of CCTV footage revealed that the convict and his wife jumped from the balcony of the first-floor building and fled while the accused were relaxing in the reception area after receiving meals from the convict’s alleged wife.

AM/SARA

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