A former inmate has provided an insider’s view of life inside Nsawam Prison, shedding light on the internal hierarchy, strict rules, and alleged illegal activities within the facility.
Speaking on Y’asetenam on Asempa FM, the ex-convict explained that power within the cells is largely controlled by “cell leaders,” who oversee daily activities and operations. Some of these leaders are reportedly involved in fraudulent activities, allegedly using smartphones to carry out such operations.
He noted that while many inmates possess mobile phones, most use basic keypad devices, as smartphones are more expensive within the prison environment.
The former inmate also described the role of “cell boys,” who are responsible for guarding the belongings of cell leaders, including money and phones.
These individuals rarely leave the cell, given their close monitoring duties. Despite certain privileges such as a designated sleeping area, many inmates avoid the role due to its demanding nature.
He further revealed the existence of strict internal regulations, referred to as the “99 laws,” which govern inmate behaviour. Inmates are expected to be in their cells by 6 p.m., and complete silence is enforced by 9 p.m., with punishments for any violations.
An informal economy also exists within the prison, he said, with inmates running businesses selling food items such as fufu, rice, and beans to fellow prisoners. These ventures are typically managed by inmates serving longer sentences or those considered influential within the prison system.
The ex-inmate’s account offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of prison life, raising questions about discipline, control, and alleged illicit activities within Nsawam Prison.
A week ago, the Student Representative Council (SRC) of Kings University College (KUC), led by SRC President Ing. Mawuko Elonai Kwame Agbevenu made a significant donation to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
The donation, which took place on September 20, included essential items such as food, toiletries, drinks, and water. Both inmates and prison officers benefited from the gesture.
The visit aimed to support the rehabilitation efforts at the prison, improve living conditions, and strengthen the relationship between the prison and the wider community.
Nsawam Prison, initially designed to hold 717 inmates, currently houses close to 4,000, leading to overcrowding and the need for external support. Despite these challenges, the prison remains focused on rehabilitation by offering educational and vocational programs that prepare inmates for reintegration into society.
During the visit, KUC students observed inmates studying through a distance degree program, reflecting the prison’s dedication to education.
In his remarks, Mr Agbevenu emphasized the importance of societal support for correctional facilities, urging philanthropists and organizations to contribute toward improving prison conditions. He highlighted the critical role of rehabilitation in transforming prisons into spaces of hope and reform, rather than mere confinement.
He remarked, “Our prisons need more than just confinement spaces; they need hope, support, and rehabilitation. Together, we can make a difference.”
This initiative demonstrated the positive impact of student leadership in addressing social issues and highlighted the importance of collective responsibility in building a more rehabilitative, as well as humane society, and both prison officials and inmates expressed deep gratitude for the kindness and thoughtfulness shown by KUC students.
The donation was more than just a provision of material needs; it also underscored the shared humanity between inmates and the outside world. The SRC’s act of goodwill sparked discussions about society’s responsibility in supporting the rehabilitation of offenders.
Established in 1960, Nsawam Medium Security Prison is a key institution in Ghana’s criminal justice system. It plays a vital role in reforming offenders by providing education, healthcare, and vocational training with the goal of reducing recidivism and helping inmates reintegrate into society.
The presiding judge in the Kasoa ritual murder case has ordered the transfer of the second accused, Nicholas Kini, from police custody to the Nsawam prison.
The directive was issued during a court session on Monday, June 24, following concerns raised by the prosecution.
Nicholas Kini, 18, has been on trial alongside 15-year-old Felix Nyarko for the alleged murder of 10-year-old Ishmael Abdallah in 2021.
The two have been held in police custody since their arrest. However, Kini has been moved between several police stations in Accra, including Nima, Ministries, Cantonments, and Osu.
The case investigator revealed that Kini has been involved in multiple altercations with fellow inmates, prompting the Osu Police Station to refuse his return.
The prosecution, citing these incidents, requested that Kini be transferred to prison custody to avoid further disturbances and ensure the safety of all parties involved.
In court, Nicholas Kini denied the allegations of instigating fights. His lawyer expressed surprise at the accusations and requested the judge to caution his client instead of ordering a transfer.
Despite this plea, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo decided that the best course of action would be to place Kini in Nsawam prison. She emphasized that this decision was made to maintain order and allow the legal proceedings to continue without further complications.
The court ordered that Kini be held in Nsawam prison and brought back to court when necessary. This move aims to provide a more stable environment for Kini, given the challenges faced in police custody.
A joint team comprising nine members from theNarcotics Control Commission (NACOC) and 20 operations officers from the Ghana Prisons Service has carried out a security sweep at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison in the Eastern Region.
The operation, conducted on Sunday, April 14, 2024, aimed to locate and confiscate any illicit drugs within the facility.
Despite thorough searches conducted in and around the prison premises, no narcotics were found.
The NACOC officers were accompanied by five security dogs, which were deployed to assist in the search.
Every conceivable area accessible to inmates, including cells, workshops, classrooms, religious spaces such as churches and mosques, as well as the prison hospital, underwent inspection.
Additionally, the perimeter wall surrounding the prison was scrutinised for any signs of hidden narcotics.
Despite the deployment of sniffer dogs throughout the facility, no traces of illicit drugs were detected, concluding the search without any discoveries.
Appreciation
Assistant Director of Prisons Andrews Osei, serving as the Second-in-Command at Nsawam Medium Security Prison, expressed gratitude to the NACOC officers for their diligent operation.
He assured them that the prison staff would maintain their vigilance in regular searches to prevent narcotics and other contraband from infiltrating the prison environment.
NCO Bernard Tetteh, head of NACOC’s K9 unit and leader of the operation, underscored the widespread issue of narcotic drug abuse, particularly among the youth, citing symptoms such as anxiety, paranoia, and mental instability.
He emphasised the detrimental impact of these substances on mental health.
Highlighting the purpose of the exercise, he stated, “The aim of this operation was to locate and confiscate narcotic drugs within the prison facility, countering the perception that prisons are hotspots for illegal narcotics.”
He commended the authorities of Nsawam Medium Security Prison for their cooperation in facilitating the operation and praised the overall management of the Prisons Service for maintaining a narcotic-free environment, contrary to popular belief.
NACOC plans to extend similar exercises to all prison facilities nationwide.
Two prison officers, Joseph Oteng and Sergeant Isaac Boateng Bonsu, have been brought before an Accra Circuit Court on charges of aiding the escape of Wang Xiao, a Chinese convict at Nsawam Medium Prison.
The officers are facing charges of conspiracy and aiding escape. It was alleged that they initially claimed to their superiors that after escorting Wang Xiao to the hospital, they were approached by a Toyota Vitz car, which then drove away with the convict.
However, CCTV footage from a hotel exposed their deceit. The footage showed that the accused officers took Wang Xiao to a hotel to meet his wife in a room.
The convict and his wife allegedly escaped over the room’s balcony while the officers waited in the hotel reception area.
The prosecution said that on February 7, 2024, at around 0700 hours, the two officers were detailed to escort Wang Xiao, a Chinese national serving a one-year sentence at Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.
The prosecutor said that after the convict was treated by a medical officer at the hospital’s Dental Department, the two accused agreed to accompany him to the Oceans Hotel in Korle Gonno to meet his wife for a discussion in exchange for a reward of GHC1,000, which they agreed to split.
According to Chief Inspector Alorwu, the accused removed the convict’s handcuffs and took him to the hotel reception. The second accused, Bonsu, informed the receptionist that they were there to see someone in one of the rooms.
The prosecution said the two accused sent the convict to the room, where they met his alleged wife, who offered them KFC rice and drink while she “spends some time with the husband alone.”
Upon returning to the hotel room to contact the convict, the accused discovered that both the convict and his alleged wife had fled through the balcony.
The prosecutor said that after the convict fled, the accused proceeded to Tema Station Hockey to hide the handcuffs with a witness in the case.
They immediately called their superiors in Nsawam and informed them that when escorting the convict from the hospital, they were unexpectedly stopped by a yellow and black unregistered Toyota Vitz taxi, and the inmate leapt into the taxi and fled with it.
The prosecutor said the accused were interrogated by their superiors at the Prisons National headquarters, who then submitted a formal complaint to the Police on February 13, 2024.
During investigations, the accused led the police to the hotel. A review of CCTV footage revealed that the convict and his wife jumped from the balcony of the first-floor building and fled while the accused were relaxing in the reception area after receiving meals from the convict’s wife.
The prosecutor said that it was only when the hotel staff alerted them to check on the prisoner that they realized he had escaped.
The accused have pleaded not guilty, and the court, presided over by Mrs. Afia Owusua Appiah, has granted them bail in the sum of GhC100,000 each, with two sureties to be justified.
They are scheduled to reappear on April 9, 2024. The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, stated that the complainant was the third in command at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, and the accused were serving under his supervision.
The Ghana Prisons Service is in search of a Chinese inmate at the Nsawam Maximum Security Prison, Wang Xiao, who is currently at large.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, Superintendent Abdul Latif Adamu, Wang Xiao, escaped during a dental medical assessment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Wednesday, February 7, 2024.
Wang Xiao is serving a one-year jail term for theft at the Nsawam Maximum Security Prison.
Engaging the media on February 12, 2024, Superintendent Abdul Latif Adamu, said, “as it stands now, the issue is seriously under investigation, and we have mounted a strategy to search for and, if possible, recapture him.”
“That is why investigations are very necessaryto establish how it happened and the factors that actually caused it. We have gotten a lot of leads that have proven to be successful in what we are doing,” he added.
Meanwhile, a photo of Wang Xiao, who is currently at large, has emerged.
In the image titled “Wanted Person”, Wang Xiao is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, and averagely built. Anyone who comes into contact with him is advised to report to the nearest police station or call 0205959016 or 0291914307.
The inmate, Wang Xiao, was at the Nsawam Prison and was serving a one-year jail term for stealing. He is reported to have reported sick and needed dental care outside the prison walls. He was escorted to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra and escaped. https://t.co/c9NOOfzOWfpic.twitter.com/BvQNqC03bc
In the photo shared by Graphic Online, Xiao is 5 feet 6 inches tall and is averagely built.
The inmate, Wang Xiao, was at the Nsawam Prison and was serving a one-year jail term for stealing. He is reported to have reported sick and needed dental care outside the prison walls. He was escorted to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra and escaped. https://t.co/c9NOOfzOWfpic.twitter.com/BvQNqC03bc
Wang Xiao was serving a one-year jail term for theft at the Nsawam Maximum Security Prison but escaped during a medical assessment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Wednesday, February 7, 2024.
Superintendent Abdul Latif Adamu, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, confirmed the escape and revealed that the inmate was undergoing medical examination at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital at the time of the incident.
During an interview on Citi FM on February 12, 2024, he elaborated that despite being escorted by prison officers, Xiao managed to escape.
“It is indeed true that an incident like that has come to the attention of the service, and we can confirm that, yes, an escape has happened at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where an inmate, a Chinese to be specific who was sent there for assessment for medical care, unfortunately, escaped,” he said.
The Ghana Prison Service (GPS) has established a committee to examine claims brought forward by two former inmates against certain personnel at the NsawamMedium Security Prisons.
In a statement released and signed by Superintendent Yaa Prempeh Sifah, Acting Chief Public Relations Officer of the GPS, it was emphasized that the service will not provide protection to any officer proven to be involved in any of the allegations. Any behavior conflicting with the Service’s established rules and regulations will be addressed in an appropriate manner.
It emphasized that the Service valued its integrity and reputation and would not tolerate actions that harmed its image.
The statement said the Service was committed to safe custody, humane treatment, reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of inmates to make them responsible, productive, and law-abiding to ensure public safety.
Drug peddling is an activity allegedly being executed and patronised by prison officers and inmates at the Nsawam Prison in the Greater Accra Region.
A male ex-convict who served time at the Nsawam Prison made this revelation during an interview with Onua FM’s Maakye Show’s host, Captain Smart.
He noted that such activity has been thriving due to starvation and the use of force by those in authority at the facility.
According to him, feeding at Nsawam Prison is appalling hence inmates are left with no other choice than to engage in buying and selling of all sort of items including drugs.
With regards to the use of force by those in power, the ex-con revealed that prisoners with lighter sentences are forced to engage in such business.
“The main issue is hunger. There is hunger in Nsawam Prison. Also, inmates are forced to engage. If you have a lesser sentence, there is a particular work you’d be compelled to do. The Chief Order will call for you.
The food they provide is nothing to write home about and someone who does not have anything to eat will to the outside gang. He will then bring the stuff to the yard to sell so he can get money to purchase food in the yard.
We sell the stuff in the yard. We sell them (tramadol, cigarette, wee, cocaine). Some of the inmates who have severe sentence give out money. Some give the money to the officer and let him know that if your boy is coming, I want these items,” he recounted.
He further noted that some prison officers also allow sellers they are acquainted with to come into the facility to sell their goods.
“Some even demand things from the Volta Region and the items are received by a prison officer. They go out with the officer and bring the stuff into the yard,” he continued.
Alcoholic beverages are also accessible to inmates, the ex-con noted. Due to security reasons, majority of alcoholic beverages come in plastic, however, those in power, have access to bottles.
“There is alcohol is prison. The only thing you may not find are bottles but if you are a black coat, can get them.”
A black coat is an inmate who has served a long time in prison.
The use and sale of drugs in correctional facilities such as prison is against the laws of the land,
An ex-convict who served time at the Nsawam Prison in the Greater Accra Region has shed light on some atrocities taking place at the correctional facility.
In an interview on Onua TV’s Maakye, the male ex-con indicated that a portion of food items provided by government to be used to cook for prisoners are sold to inmates.
He noted that amidst the hunger situation and the provision of appalling meals, prison officers sell a number of ingredients to inmates who are responsible for cooking at the facility.
“They give us porridge made with maize. Later, they bring us soup with banku. Several kinds of soup, such as palm nut soup, light soup. It is not the regular soup you eat outside.
They grind beans into powder and then add it to water, then add small quantity of Groundnut. There is nothing inside. The onions and pepper brought for cooking, they sell it. The officers sell the ingredients to those who cook at the yard. There is hunger in Nsawam prison,” the ex-con narrated.
Aside from selling food provisions, some prison officers allegedly hoard food items to take home.
The nutrition of inmates is a challenge currently facing the Ghana Prison Service. The current daily feeding fee for prisoners is GHS1.80 and according to the Prisons Service, this is woefully inadequate to provide adequate meals for inmates.
The Prison Service has therefore called on the government to review the feeding allowance to reflect the current living conditions in the country.
A female Chinese citizen, detained in 2022 alongside a Chinese male and a Ghanaian for engaging in illegal mining, has made a suicide attempt while in prison due to her declining health condition.
According to a Daily Guide Newspaper Report dated July 14, 2023, she is currently under close monitoring.
The three who were arrested in 2022 appeared before the High Court (Criminal Division) in 2022.
The two Chinese nationals have been detained since their arrest and subsequent arraignment, while the Ghanaian has been granted bail.
The trial gained significant attention from the public because of their alleged involvement in a complex criminal operation in the mining sector.
However, the focus shifted to the female Chinese suspect’s well-being following a recent medical report indicating a significant deterioration in her health.
According to the report, she has been experiencing rapid heartbeats and nearly collapsed while in the Nsawam Female Prison.
Shortly after the incident, she attempted suicide using a cloth, leading the prison authorities to place her under constant suicide watch.
The defense legal team representing the Chinese nationals have repeatedly applied to the court for bail, citing the deterioration of her health conditions and potential human rights violations resulting from prolonged detention.
However, the prosecution, on the other hand, argued against granting bail, highlighting the severity of the charges and the risk of flight to justify their continued detention.
As the case progresses, all attention turns to the High Courts (Criminal Division) to address these concerns and take the necessary actions to safeguard the rights and well-being of these foreign nationals.
The High Court in Accra has ordered the Nsawam Prison Authorities to produce Pius Ayoma, a private Security man charged with attempted murder and robbery who was rearrested after escaping from police custody.
Ayoma, on the night of March 2, escaped from lawful custody after appearing at the High Court and was remanded into Nsawam Prison Custody.
Upon his re-arrest he was arraigned at the Circuit Court in Accra presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah for Conspiracy to escape from lawful custody and Causing unlawful damage.
On Thursday, June 8, 2023, when he was expected to appear before the High Court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, Ayoma who is in Prison custody was absent.
The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court has therefore directed the Prisons Authority to produce the accused person.
The case has been adjourned to June 19, 2023.
Brief facts
Per the brief facts of the case, the complainants are a couple who reside together off Spintex road.
The accused, Pius Anundoabil Ayoma also lived off the Spintex Road Accra and was a security man with a private Security Company.
The facts indicate that he was assigned by the private security firm to work at the residence of the couple as a security guard till he was relieved of that post upon a complaint made by the couple to his (the accused person’s) supervisor for petty stealing at their residence.
It states that on January 21, 2020, at about 7:30pm, the accused who was no longer working at the residence of the couple, armed with a gun and a knife surfaced at the premises of the complainants wearing a mask and attacked the security man on duty.
The facts state that the accused tied his legs and arms with a necktie and a rope, after which he hits him several times with the butt of the gun.
Access to house
The facts state that he then gained access to the main house with a duplicate key which he already had and he entered the bedroom of the couple, now unmasked where he chanced upon one complainant (the wife) who was home alone.
“He forcefully broke into their bathroom where she was freshening up to go to church and injured himself in the process resulting in blood stains on the bathroom floor.
“He ordered her to transfer some money from her phone to a mobile number which investigations later revealed was registered in his name,” the brief facts state.
“He then took her to the room where he had tied their security guard and threatened to hit her with the gun just as he was hitting the security guard if she did not give him more money.”
Momo transfer
The facts indicate that she pleaded with him not to hit her because she was pregnant and did not want to lose her baby.
“He forcibly made her transfer about two thousand Ghana Cedis to the said phone number and even assaulted her.
“He asked her for more money which she said she did not have so he told her he would wait for her husband to return since he was aware they were well to do.”
“He then tied her up in the bathroom, ransacked the rooms and collected various items belonging to the couple.
“He took away two iPhones, one Dell Laptop computer, one DSTV decoder, one Subwoofer, one 32 inches Samsung Television, one 55-inch Philip flat Screen Television, two travelling bags and assorted clothes.”
Uber request
The facts indicate that he then ordered her to use her phone to order an Uber to come to the house.
The accused, upon arrival of the Uber driver, conveyed all the items with his (the Uber driver) assistance into the vehicle.
“The accused did not leave but lay in wait for the other complainant (who is the husband) to return from work. At about 10:30 pm, he returned home and entered the house.
“It was only upon entering the house that he realised his house was under attack. He saw his wife tied on the toilet seat and in his attempt to set her free, he was attacked by the accused who was hiding behind the bathroom door,” the facts State.
Gunshot
The facts indicate that he (the accused) tried hitting him with his gun but the complainant hit the gun with his hand and run outside while shouting for help.
“The accused actually chased the complainant outside and fired the gun at him but missed him and he managed to escape unhurt.
“The accused, (who had earlier on come out unmasked to pack the stolen items into the Uber) jumped into the Uber vehicle but now masked and ordered the driver at gunpoint to drive out of the house, towards Spintex road,” it states.
It states that on their way, “the accused removed the mask and ordered the Uber driver to get a taxi for him.
“The driver obliged and stopped a taxi and he transferred the booty into the taxi and ordered the driver to drive towards Kasapreko direction.”
Police station
It states that the Police were informed and the accused was traced to Kasapreko junction where he was spotted in the taxi with the stolen items.
The police signaled the driver to stop and he did and the accused came out and pointed a gun at the police.
“The police also pointed a gun at him but upon realising that the gun of the Police was not functioning he (the accused) managed to escape from the vehicle leaving behind the taxi together with the booty.
“The taxi was sent to the Manet Police Station where a complaint was lodged.
“The complainants identified him to the Police as the one who robbed them. They also identified the stolen items in the taxi as theirs.”
It states that investigations later revealed that the accused was hiding at Fumbisi in the Upper East Region where he was arrested.
In the process of arresting him, the accused resisted, with the assistance of his mother and other members of his family by firing at one of the arresting officers, injuring him in the process.
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a Police officer to 12 years imprisonment for assisting ex-convict Harold Davies Johnson to travel abroad without serving his jail term at the Nsawam Prisons.
This was after Detective Lance Corporal Kwame Adu Asabereh was found guilty by the court at the end of the trial.
The Police officer was said to have allowed himself to be corrupted by Johnson, an ex-convict, to assist him travel abroad and escape serving his jail term.
He was charged with forgery of official document, abetment of crime, and corruption by public officer.
The facts of the prosecution led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sylvester Asare before the court presided over by Mrs Patricia Amponsah are that Asabereh was a Police officer stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.
The prosecution said in 2019, a case of defrauding by false pretences involving Harold Davies Johnson, aka Emmanuel Snowden, a British national, reported by Dr Shadrack Asare, was referred to Asabereh for investigations.
It said after investigations, Asabereh was instructed to charge and arraign Johnson on the charge of defrauding by false pretence.
Johnson was, therefore, put before the court presided over by Naa Adjeley Quaison.
Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
The prosecution said Johnson was handed over to Asabereh, the case officer, to be sent to Nsawam Medium Prison.
Surprisingly, the prosecution said, Asabereh failed to send Johnson to Nsawam and sent him to his (Asabereh ‘s) house at Sapieman where he stayed for some time.
The prosecution said investigations also showed that Johnson promised to assist Asabereh to travel abroad and based on that, Asabereh released Johnson’s passport to him and he travelled to the United Kingdom without serving his sentence.
The prosecution said Asabereh forged the Police Removal of Prisoner Book to suggest that Johnson had been sent and received by prison authorities at Nsawam.
The prosecution said when Asabereh was nabbed, he admitted the offence.
President Akufo-Addo has commissioned an inmate skills acquisition and reformation center at Nsawam to begin day two of his 3-day working tour of the Eastern Region.
The 320-bed capacity facility constructed and donated by the Church of Pentecost is the second of the 5 model prison camp, which forms part of the 5-year strategic vision of the church to decongest the country’s prisons.
Speaking at a durbar to commission the facility, the Director of Prison Services Isaac Kofi Egyiri who commended the Church for the collaboration indicated that the service will expand prison agriculture to obtain food security at the prison.
President Akufo-Addo who also lauded the exemplary efforts of the Church of Pentecost in tackling issues of congestion at the prisons indicated that government will provide the necessary support to the service to realize the vision of attaining food security.
An audit sample conducted by the Auditor General in 2021 has revealed that warrants of 125 persons remanded at the male section of Nsawam Medium Security Prisons had expired.
This contrasts No. 171 of the Ghana Police Service Instructions, 2018, which requires expired commitment warrants of short sentence prisoners to be endorsed by station officers and forwarded to the Director General of Prisons for the warrants to be sent back to the Courts that issued them.
The Auditor General in the report, therefore, recommended a liaison between the Director-General of Prisons and the Ghana Police Service to work on the renewal of expired warrants or expedite action on such cases for final judgement.
As of June 2021, prisons in Ghana are reported to have been overcrowded by 3,247 inmates with the authorised prison population being 9,945.
Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP) Stephen Okai Aboagye, a Senior Officer attached to the legal unit of the Ghana Prison Service, said overcrowding in prisons of, which expired warrants were major contributors, had made it difficult to reform and segregate inmates “based on risk assessment.â€
That, he said had led to contamination of inmates and high rate of recidivism.
“We have a total prison population of 13,192. And out of this number, we have a total convict population of 11,638 and that represents 88.22 per cent. We have a total remand population of 1,554, representing 11.78 per cent,†he said at a Roundtable Discussion organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on the need for non-custodial sentencing.
