news

Photos: Prison Break At
Kumasi Central Prison + One
Dead


P

rison officers in Kumasi have confirmed
the death of one inmate following a riot
that occurred at the central prisons on
Wednesday night.
The deceased, a remand inmate was said
to have attempted to snatch the rifle of a
police officer, and another officer who
was looking on, shot him.
A number of officers were injured in the
confrontation. Calm has since been
restored at the prisons.
The prisoners engaged wardens and other
security personnel in a fierce confrontation
on Wednesday night, demanding that they
be allowed out to escape a fire outbreak.
Prison officials could not put their finger
on what may have started the fire but
said it followed heavy rains attended by
thunder and lightning which started
around 8;30pm.
The prisoners were evacuated from their
holding cells into the yard.
The fire was eventually put out by
personnel of the Ghana National Fire
Service, however the prisoners refused to
return to their holding areas and instead
started picketing, confronting wardens to
be allowed out.
Police reinforcements along with a
number of soldiers had to be called in,
with the police firing warning shots and
volleys of teargas.
Graphic online gathered that in their
attempt to escape, the prisoners managed
to punch a hole into one of the main
prison walls and caused a lot of
destruction to property.
Officers suspected the whole incident was
a “planned escape”.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Affairs
for the Ghana Prisons Service DSP Vitalis
has said investigations have been
initiated into the incident. He spoke on
Accra based radio station, Starr FM.