Accra, May 9, GNA - A Circuit Court in Accra on Monday sentenced a 38-year-old trader to two years' imprisonment with hard labour for escaping from lawful custody. Samuel Osei Boateng pleaded guilty and the court convicted him accordingly.

The facts as presented by Chief Inspector Bennett Sarfo were that Boateng, who was involved in six different cases, was remanded on charges of fraud and bigamy and sent to the James Fort Prison. On September 16 2004, a Police Sergeant stationed at the Central Police Station went to escort Boateng from James Fort Prisons to attend to Court.

On their way to the court in a taxi, there was a heavy traffic jam at the James Town-Bukum area and Boateng took advantage and escaped. The Prosecution said all attempts to re-arrest him proved futile. However, on May 5, 2005, the Police received information that Boateng was hiding at Ahwerease, near Aburi in the Eastern Region and arrested him. 09 May 05