Sekondi, May 13, GNA - A Sekondi District Magistrate's Court on Friday sentenced John Asmah, a prisoner, to nine months imprisonment in hard labour for escaping from lawful custody. He pleaded guilty.

Prosecuting, Police Sergeant Philip Obeng, said the accused is a prisoner serving six months imprisonment in hard labour at the Ekuasi Prison Camp.

He said on November 12, last year, the prison authorities detailed four prisoners including the accused to work on the oil palm plantation of the Second Battlion of Infantry at Apremdo, near Takoradi. Sergeant Obeng said the farm manager assigned the prisoners plots of land to weed.

He said the plantation was bushy and the accused took advantage of this and escaped. Sergeant Obeng said the Prisons Officer in-charged of the prisoners, Sergeant Philip Adjei, assisted by some people, searched for the accused on the plantation but could not find him.

He said the prisons officer, therefore, reported the incident to the authorities at the Prisons Camp, who organised a search party but the accused was again not found.

Sergeant Obeng said on December 2, last year, the accused was arrested at Agona-Nkwanta by the Police and handed over to the authorities at the Ekuase Prison Camp.

He said five days later, the accused managed to escape from the camp but he was arrested on January 27, this year. Sergeant Obeng said a report was made to the Police and after investigations, he was charged with the offence. 13 May 2005