Crime & Punishment of Saturday, 20 March 2010

Source: GNA

Man jailed 12 months for escaping from police custody

Apam (C/R), March 20, GNA - The Apam District Magistrate's court on Friday sentenced a 23-year-old man, Kojo Amoah, to 12 months imprisonment for escaping from police cells. He pleaded guilty.

Police Chief Inspector William Kwasi Yeboah, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mr Charles Wiafe that on March 17 this year, the accused person and Kwabena Essandoh were arrested at Apam for possessing narcotic drugs and placed in police custody at Apam. The prosecution said while in the cells, the two accused persons told the policeman on duty that they wanted to attend to nature's call but when they were opened, the accused persons attacked the policeman and managed to escape.

He said Essandoh was arrested the following day at Otsew Jukwa waiting for a vehicle to travel and was put before an Agona Swedru Circuit Court where he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The prosecution said Amoah managed to seek refuge at Tema but was later arrested by the Tema Fishing Harbour police for causing harm and was jailed two years.

On February 2, this year, the Apam police had a wind that the accused was being transferred from the Nsawam Prison to the Ankaful Prison to continue his sentence. Chief Inspector Yeboah said on March 15, 2010 the Apam police arranged with Ankaful Prison authorities for the accused persons to appear before the Apam magistrate's court for unlawful escaping from police custody.