Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 19 April 2016

Source: starrfmonline.com

Prison barons drug inmates for sex – Ex-convict reveals

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A former convict of the Nsawam Maximum Security Prison has revealed that some inmates are drugged by other senior inmates popularly known as ‘barons’ to enable them have sexual intercourse with them.

William Ofori who spent four years at the prison after being convicted for failing to settle a debt told Starr News in an exclusive interview that most wardens watch on while the ‘barons’ at the facility have sex with the vulnerable ones.

“Homosexuality is still in the yard, you are a poor person...and the barons in the yard…would cook for you and put medicine in the food and when you eat it, he will sleep with you and you won’t even realize.

“This has been happening and the officers are aware but it still happens,” Ofori said.

The ex-convict who is pushing for massive reforms at the detention center said the conditions at the prison rather toughens the inmates.

According to him, several inmates jailed for drug peddling, fraud and other illegal activities continue their trade at the facility while the wardens look on unconcerned.

He added that measures must be put in place to reform prisoners or else most of them would come out tougher than they were.

Attempts to reach officials of the Ghana Prisons Service to respond to the claims have proved futile.