Police in Tamale have arrested a 24-year old secretary, Sherifa Salifu, for attempting to smuggle a mobile phone concealed in a ball of banku into a police cell for her lover, Mohammed Nashiru on detention for stealing.

She has accordingly been charged for attempting to commit crime, to wit, breach prison discipline and has been granted bail by a Tamale District Magistrate Court presided over by Augustine Essah to reappear on August 8, 2012.

According to the facts of the case as presented to the court, Sherifa’s lover was rearrested on charges of stealing after he jumped bail and went into hiding while the case was still pending.

While being kept in custody pending his appearance in court after a bench warrant was issued, the accused visited him in the afternoon purporting to be bringing him some food—banku and soup.

Per the rules governing food being given to suspects, the food was supposed to be scrutinized at the charge office before being passed on to the accused person in detention in order to ensure that nothing untoward happened.

In the process of examination the counter officer detected a Nokia mobile phone concealed in the big ball of banku meant for the suspect in detention.

Police immediately arrested her and she admitted the offence claiming it was on the instructions of her lover who claimed he wanted to reach out to some colleagues of his.

She was subsequently arraigned before the district Magistrate Court and charged for the offence but was granted bail pending the adjournment date on the basis that the key witness had travelled.