Jail ‘breaker’ gets 3 years

A rapist and armed robber, who broke jail from police cell at Sunyani in the Bono Region, last week, and escaped to Burkina Faso, has been sentenced to three years in hard labour on each count to run concurrently by the Sunyani Circuit Court.

The suspect, Abdulai Karim, also known as JJ, appeared before court presided over by Mr Nii Ablor, on two counts of assault on a public officer and escaping from lawful custody.

Abdulai Karim, who was arrested in Burkina Faso and repatriated to Ghana, was standing trial at the court in Sunyani on charges of rape and robbery, but escaped from lawful custody to Burkina Faso.

According to the police, JJ escaped when another inmate of the cell requested for water, and in an attempt by the policeman on duty to serve the water, Karim hit the policeman with the gate, aiding him to flee.

Briefing the Ghanaian Times here in Sunyani yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Kingsley Oppong, said the suspect was arrested in Burkina Faso and brought to Sunyani.

He said the escapee was put before Sunyani Circuit Court presided over by Mr Nii Ablor on two counts of assault on public officer and escaping from lawful custody contrary to section 205226 of Act 2960 yesterday and sentenced three years in hard labour on each counts to run concurrently. 

He, however, said his previous charges thus robbery and rape are pending as they await the docket from the Attorney General.

From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani