The Accra Circuit Court has sentenced Godwin Klu, a 26-year-old tiler, to four years imprisonment, for attempting to escape from lawful custody.
He was charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit, escaping from lawful custody and causing unlawful damage and abetment of crime.
Klu, an accomplished, was taken to the Ankaful Prisons, to commence his sentence.
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old prisoner, who was being tried together with Klu for escaping from the Manet Police Station cells, but re-arrested, has been remanded by the same court.
Pius Anundoabil Ayoma, an electrician, has been charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit, escaping from lawful custody, causing unlawful damage and escaping from lawful custody.
He pleaded guilty with explanation, saying he had been in prison for five years, since he was taken to Manet Police Station.
Ayoma told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah that “my mother died and I also became sick, later my brother also died. It was the severe pains and sickness that compelled me to cut the burglar proof.”
Ayoma said “a police officer gave me that saw-blade to cut the burglar proof, but I didn’t cut it, but my accomplice did.”
On the charge of conspiracy to commit crime to wit causing unlawful damage and escaping from lawful custody, accused pleaded not guilty.
The court listening to the explanation of accused, entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges.
The judge ordered investigation into the allegation that police personnel gave saw-blade to accused, and adjourned the case to May 22, 2023.
Superintendent of Police Augustus Yirenkyi, said the complainants were policemen, and accused were on remand in the Manet Police Station cells.
The prosecution said Ayoma was facing charges of robbery, attempted murder and rape, whiles Klu was also facing a charge of stealing.
It said during their detention, Ayoma was committed for trial at the High Court ‘5’ and remanded in prison custody, while Klu was convicted to four years imprisonment.
Sup Yirenkyi said while arrangements were underway to convey the accused to prisons custody, they hatched a plan to escape.
The prosecution said accused broke the burglar proof at the cell’s window, damaged the wire mesh and tore the mosquito net, creating an opening for their escape.
Sup Yirenkyi said Klu attempted to go through the opening, but his body did not allow him.
The prosecution said Ayoma also attempted to escape, but his trousers got hooked on the rough edge of the iron rod of the burglar proof, leaving him hanging on the window.
The court heard that Klu assisted Ayoma by releasing his trousers from the iron rod for him to escape.
Sup Yirenkyi said moments later, Klu was escorted to Ankaful Prisons to commence his sentence.
The prosecution said a combined team of personnel from the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Police Service arrested Ayoma at a place between Shukura and Afienya. —GNA
