Remand prisoner escapee remanded again, accomplice jailed

A 23-year-old remand prisoner who escaped lawful custody but was rearrested has been remanded by an Accra Circuit Court.

Pius Anundoabil Ayoma, an electrician, has been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime to wit escaping from lawful custody and causing unlawful damage, and escaping from lawful custody and causing unlawful damage.

The accused person pleaded guilty with an explanation, saying: “I have been in prison for five years since I was brought to Manet Police Station. 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.”

He added that “a police officer gave me a hacksaw-blade to cut the burglar-proof, but I didn’t cut it, but my accomplice did”.

On the charge of conspiracy to commit a crime to wit causing unlawful damage and escaping from lawful custody, the accused person pleaded not guilty.

The Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, listening to the explanation of the accused person, entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges.

The Court ordered that an investigation be carried out on the police officer who allegedly gave the cutter to the accused person and remanded the accused person pending a full trial.

The case has been adjourned to May 22, 2023.

Meanwhile, his accomplice Godwin Klu, a 26-year-old tiler, was convicted to four years imprisonment.

He was also charged with conspiracy to commit a crime to wit escaping from lawful custody and causing unlawful damage and causing unlawful damage and abetment of crime.

He was transferred to the Ankaful Prisons to commence his sentence.

The facts as narrated by the prosecution, Chief Inspector Daniel Danku, who held the brief for Superintendent of Police Augustus Yirenkyi, said the complainants were policemen.

The prosecution said the accused persons 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 into prison custody while Klu was convicted to four years imprisonment.

The prosecution said while arrangements were underway to convey the accused persons into prison custody, they hatched a plan to escape.

It said as a result, the accused persons broke the burglar proof at the cell’s window, caused damage to the wire mesh, and tore the mosquito net, creating an opening for their escape.

The prosecution said on March 2, 2023, at about 0200 hours, Klu attempted to go through the opening, but his body did not allow him.

It 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 prosecution said Klu assisted Ayoma by releasing his trousers from the iron rod for him to escape.

It said hours later, Klu was escorted to Ankaful Prisons to commence his sentence, while a search party was formed to recapture Ayoma.

The prosecution said a combined team of personnel from the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Police Service picked up intelligence that Ayoma was hiding between Shukura and Afienya.

It said on May 4, 2023, at about 2000 hours, Ayoma was smoked out of his hideout at Afienya and escorted to the Regional Criminal Investigation Department.