An Accra Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, has ordered an investigation into a claim made by alleged armed robber and rapist, Pius Anundoabil Ayoma, that he was aided by a policeman to escape from Manet Police Station cells on March 2, 2023.
The accused, 23, an Electrician, told the court that the policeman in question gave him a hacksaw blade to cut through the iron bars of the cell windows to escape.
It was in relation to this claim that the court gave the order for the accused person’s statement to be investigated by the police.
The accused was arraigned yesterday on conspiracy to commit crime, namely escaping from lawful custody and causing unlawful damage.
Pius pleaded guilty with explanation to two of the counts – conspiracy to commit crime, namely escaping from lawful custody and causing unlawful damage.
The accused explained that he was not the one who cut the iron bars and that it was the second accused, Godwin Klu, his then cell mate.
The court, however, entered not guilty for him on all the counts after his explanation, hence would face full trial.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court, Superintendent of Police Augustine Yirenkye said the Complainants in the case were policemen from Manet Police Station in Accra.
According to him, 1st accused (A1) Pius and second accused (A2) Godwin Klu were remand prisoners in the Manet Police Station cells.
He added that A1 was facing charges of robbery, attempted murder and rape at the High Court ‘5’ and was remanded into Nsawam prisons on March 1, whilst A2 was also facing a charge of stealing and was convicted on same for four years imprisonment at Ankaful.
Supt. Yirenkye added that while arrangements were underway to convey the accused persons into prison custody, they hatched a plan to escape.
As a result, the accused persons broke the burglar proof at the cells window, caused damage to the wire mesh and tore the mosquito net, creating a hole for their escape.
On March 2, 2023 at about 2:00am, A2 attempted to go through the hole but failed due to his heavy body.
A1, while escaping, got his trousers hooked on the rough edge of the iron rod used to construct the burglar proof and were hanging on the window, which A2 assisted by releasing his trousers from the iron rod and gave it back to him to wear and escape.
A2 was later escorted to Ankaful Prisons to commence his four years’ sentence and a search party made up of the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) and Ghana Police Service was formed to recapture A1.
Based on intelligence, the team re-arrested the accused at his hiding between Shukura and Afienya, around 8pm on May 4, 2023 and escorted to the Regional CID.
The Prosecutor said the accused persons admitted the offence in their caution statement and were charged with the offence.
