Jail break blamed on restriction on fish

It has now emerged that the decision by authorities at the Kumasi Central Prisons to regulate the inflow of fish into the yard to avoid abuse degenerated into the unprecedented insurrection in the annals of the Ghana Prisons Service.

Inmates at the Kumasi Central Prison were disgruntled by the decision of the authority not to allow them to send fish into the yard and staged a protest on January 29, 2015, and subsequently planned the attempted jailbreak on February 4, 2015.

According to authorities of the Kumasi Central Prison, the supposed fire outbreaks caused by a thunderstorm on 04/02/15 was set by inmates and used as a decoy by the inmates to perpetuate an already hatched plan.

These facts were revealed by the Ashanti Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service, Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Lord Nii Boye Tagoe, during a memorial service held at the yard of the Kumasi Central Prison to mark the 1st anniversary of the 04/02/2015 attempted jailbreak.

The regional commander discounted the assertion by the inmates who witnessed the incident that inmates broke out of the cells to save themselves from being gutted by fire, saying if the narrative is true, why will they go on to destroy properties, chisel walls for escape and even attempt to snatch a gun from a police officer?

On measures put in place to avoid the 04/02 incidence, DDP Nii Boye disclosed that all wooden doors have been replaced with metal doors, close surveillance of the activities of the inmates and continuous education of inmates on the need to obey rules and channel their grievances to the appropriate authorities.

Over 20 officers who were on duty on that fateful day were charged and both departmental and ministerial committees are investigating the incident for necessary actions; however, promotion for some of the officers is being withheld pending the outcome of the investigations by the committees.

Touching on the unprofessional conduct of some officers, he lamented how some officers throw ethics to the dogs and connive with some criminally minded inmates to break prison rules by smuggling phones and other banned substance into cells, warning those officers to desist from such acts or be made to face the full rigours of the law when caught.

DDP Lord Nii Boye Tagoe revealed that authorities have retrieved over 120 mobile phones from inmates.

He praised the gallant officers on duty for the courage and professionalism exhibited on that fateful day and also thanked sister security services who came in to support them to foil the attempted jail break.

He expressed profound gratitude to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Ultimate Fashion and all other organisations who in diverse ways have helped replace properties lost to the infamous incident.